Resting postures in terrestrial mammalian herbivores

摘要: For ruminants and arboreal herbivores (sloths colobine monkeys), an influence of digestive physiology on resting postures has been postulated that is linked to the interplay anatomy gravity vector. To further explore this putative relationship, we observed 253 individual terrestrial mammalian at zoological gardens, noting 29,478 events in 36 species during day 7,383 18 night, providing a catalogue postures. We confirm constraint sternal recumbency expand observation camelids, which rely similar sorting mechanism their forestomach for rumination, but use lateral slight distinctively larger proportion. Generally, rest more standing position, when lying. The large hindgut fermenters (perissodactyls, elephants) nonruminant foregut (macropods, hippos) corresponds concept there no between these species. By contrast, peccaries, hyraxes, hystricomorph rodents never used recumbency. While may be related body size, shape, or other species-specific characteristics, it also suggests processes, particular with colonic separation rodents, should investigated.