Seasonal fluctuations in the bone microstructure of Sciurus vulgaris fuscoater humeri: a case study using phenomics on μCT-scans

Abstract

Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758, the red squirrel, is a small, mostly arboreally living rodent, spread across the Palearctic. It is mostly vegetarian, feeding on plants, fungi and seeds, and is less active in the winter months, but does not hibernate. In this lateral study, the humeri of the subspecies Sciurus vulgaris fuscoater, the Central European red squirrel, were analysed to uncover potential intraspecific variation between individuals found in different seasons. The {micro}CT-scans were obtained with a resolution of 26 microns. Five bone parameters were calculated and statistically evaluated with regards to seasonal variations: total volume, bone volume, endocortical surface, cortical thickness, and average trabecular thickness. Bone volume, trabecular thickness and endocortical thickness correlate with bone size, whereas cortical thickness does not. Seasonal differences were observed between the warmer summer and autumn months versus the colder winter and spring months for all parameters. We, speculatively, relate the observed seasonal variation to nutrient intake, notably calcium. These results offer a deeper understanding of intraindividual variation in red squirrels, that may be useful in further ecological, taxonomic, and paleontological research.