SPECIFICATION OF BEHAVIOR TRAITS AND FORMULATION OF ANIMAL KEEPING SYSTEM OF THE HOUSE MUSK SHREW

麝香鼩（Suncus murinus）是唯一一种在食虫动物中被成功驯化的实验动物。本研究考察了其行为特征，并建立了其饲养系统，用于行为学研究。得到了以下结果：(1)每日活动节律：获得体温和运动活动节律。有一个独特的体温下降，与运动消失同步。每天一次，连续好几天。这一发现使我们讨论了它与“每日堕落”现象的关系。(2)驱力：驱力随缺水时间的变化而变化。鼩鼱表现出一种不同于大鼠和小鼠的特定驱动变化模式。应进一步研究其与基础代谢水平和脑功能抑制系统的关系。(3)驯化的行为效应：从1993年开始，我们实验室驯化了近40只野生动物，目前已经成功地进行了驯化。然而，驯化对前15代的早期和交配行为没有显著影响。(4)人工环境养养繁殖：驯化和野生鼩鼱产仔少，杀婴事件多发，但均制定了标准的养养繁殖程序和环境。(5)野生种群生态信息：收集了冲绳地区3个岛屿的生态状况和行为信息。随着人口规模的减少，信息量也在减少。编辑了一份报告，包括目前和以前发表的结果。

The house musk shrew, Suncus murinus, is the only laboratory animal that has been successfully domesticated among species of Insectivores. The present study examined its behavior traits and formulated its keeping system for use in behavioral studies. The following results were obtained.(1) Daily activity rhythm : The rhythms were obtained for body temperature and locomotor activity. There were observed a unique drop in body temperature which was synchronized with disappearance of locomotion. It occurred once a day in several successive days. This finding leads us to discuss its relation with the phenomenon of "daily torper".(2) Drive : Drive force was measured as a function of hours of water deprivation. Shrews showed a specific mode of drive change which was different from rats and mice. It should be further examined in relation to basal level of metabolism and inhibitive system of brain function.(3) Behavioral effect of domestication : Domestication which was started in 1993 with nearly 40 wild animals has so far been successfully proceeded in our laboratory. However, no significant effect of domestication was found with early and mating behaviors for the first 15 generations.(4) Keeping and breeding in artificial environment : Standard procedure and environment for keeping and breeding were formulated for both domesticated and wild shrews, in spite of small litter size and frequent occurrence of infanticide.(5) Ecological information on wild populations : Ecological condition and behavioral information were collected from informants in three islands of Okinawa district. In parallel to the reduction in size of population, amount of information has been decreased.A report including both of the present and previously published results was edited.