Interrelation between size of body and of digestive tract organs in some myomorpha: Isometry or allometry?

Abstract

Using nonparametric tests, we analyzed the weights of the digestive tract organs of 198 rodent individuals belonging to 11 species of Arvicolinae (family Cricetidae) and Murinae (family Muridae), using both fresh and fixed material, the weight characteristics of which were identical. It has been shown that no unique dependence exists between the body weight and the entire digestive tract one in Arvicolinae rodents weighing 8–73 g. It was also shown that interspecific differences in the relative mass of such a dynamic system of organs as the digestive system cannot always be regarded as a function of the body size alone.