This is a collection of lists of mammal gestation period estimated by experts in their fields. The mammals included are only viviparous (marsupials and placentals) as some mammals, which are monotremes (including platypuses and echidnas) lay their eggs. A marsupial has a short gestation period, typically shorter than placental. For more information on how these estimates were ascertained, see Wikipedia's articles on gestational age.
The gestation figures given here are shown in days. They represent average values and should only be considered as approximations.
| Mammal | Gestation period (days)[1] | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Average | ||
| African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) | 71 | [2] | ||
| Alpaca (Lama pacos) | 345 | [3][4] | ||
| Acouchi (Green) (Myoprocta pratti) | 98 | [5] | ||
| American bison (Bison bison) | 285 | |||
| Antelope (Blackbuck) (Antilope cervicapra) | 165 | [2] | ||
| Antelope (Impala) (Aepyceros melampus) | 191 | [2] | ||
| Antelope (Sable) (Hippotragus niger) | 270 | [2] | ||
| Armadillo (Nine-banded) (Dasypus novemcinctus) | 120 | [5] | ||
| Armadillo (Six-banded) (Euphractus sexcinctus) | 62 | |||
| Baboon (Papio sp.) | 185 | [6] | ||
| Badger (American) (Taxidea taxus) | 60 | [5] | ||
| Bear (black) (Ursus americanus) | 220 | [7] | ||
| Bear (grizzly) (Ursus arctos) | 215 | [5] | ||
| Bear (polar) (Ursus maritimus) | 241 | [5] | ||
| Beaver (Castor sp.) | 122 | |||
| Wild boar (Sus scrofa) | 120 | [5] | ||
| Bonobo (Pan paniscus) | 196 | 260 | 228 | [8] |
| Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) | 360 | 420 | 390 | |
| Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) | 158 | [5] | ||
| Capuchin monkey (Gracile) (Cebus sp.) | 180 | [8] | ||
| Cat (domestic) | 58 | 67 | 64 | |
| Cattle (Bos taurus) | 279 | 287 | 283 | [9] |
| Cheetah (Acinoyx jubatus) | 92 | [2] | ||
| Chital (Axis axis) | 218 | [5] | ||
| Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) | 230 | 250 | 240 | [8] |
| Chinchilla | 105 | 115 | 110 | [10] |
| Chinchilla (Long-tailed) (Chinchilla laniger) | 110 | [5] | ||
| Chipmunk | 31 | |||
| Colobus (King) (Colobus polykomos) | 180 | 213 | 202 | [8] |
| Coyote (Canis latrans) | 62 | [2] | ||
| Coypu (Myocastor coypus) | 132 | [2] | ||
| Deer (Common fallow deer) (Dama dama) | 228 | [2] | ||
| Deer (mule deer) (Odocoileus hemionus) | 206 | [2] | ||
| Deer (Père David's) (Elaphurus davidianus) | 284 | [5] | ||
| Deer (red deer) (Cervus elaphus) | 238 | [2] | ||
| Deer (Sambar) (Rusa unicolor) | 246 | [5] | ||
| Deer (white-tailed) (Odocoileus virginianus) | 201 | |||
| Dog (domestic) (Canis familiaris) | 58 | 65 | 61 | |
| Dolphin (Bottlenose) (Tursiops truncatus) | 364 | [2] | ||
| Dolphin (Spinner) (Stenella longirostris) | 318 | [2] | ||
| Donkey (Equus asinus) | 335 | 426 | 365 | [2] |
| Douc (red-shanked) (Pygathrix nemaeus) | 180 | 190 | 185 | [8] |
| Duiker (Bay) (Cephalophus dorsalis) | 120 | [5] | ||
| Eland (Common) (Taurotragus oryx) | 255 | [5] | ||
| Elephant (Asian) | 617 | |||
| Elephant (African bush) (Loxodonta africana) | 655 | [5] | ||
| Elephant shrew (Bushveld) (Elephantulus intufi) | 51 | [5] | ||
| Elephant shrew (eastern rock elephant shrew) (Elephantulus myurus) | 46 | [5] | ||
| Elk (wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) | 240 | 250 | 245 | [5] |
| European mink (Mustela lutreola) | 38 | 76 | 57 | [11] |
| Ferret (domestic) (Mustela furo) | 41 | 42 | 41 | [11] |
| Flying squirrel (Southern) (Glaucomys volans) | 40 | [5] | ||
| Fox (Bat-eared) (Otocyon megalotis) | 65 | [5] | ||
| Fox (island) (Urocyon littoralis) | 63 | [5] | ||
| Fox (red) (Vulpes vulpes) | 52 | [2] | ||
| Galago (Galago sp.) | 124 | [2] | ||
| Gazelle (Dorcas) (Gazella dorcas) | 132 | [2] | ||
| Gazelle (Thomson's) (Gazella thomsonii) | 165 | [2] | ||
| Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) | 170 | [8] | ||
| Gerbil (Greater Egyptian) (Gebrillus pyramidum) | 21 | [5] | ||
| Gerbil (Mongolian) (Meriones unguiculatus) | 22 | 130 | 24 | [11] |
| Gibbon (lar) (Hylobates lar) | 220 | [8] | ||
| Giraffe (Giraffa sp.) | 420 | 450 | 430 | |
| Goat (domestic) (Capra hircus) | 145 | 155 | 150 | [5] |
| Goat (mountain goat) (Oreamnos americanus) | 176 | [2] | ||
| Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) | 131 | [2] | ||
| Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) | 255 | 260 | 257 | [8] |
| Grivet (Cercopithecus aethiops) | 210 | [8] | ||
| Guenon (Cercopithecus sp.) | 160 | [2] | ||
| Guinea pig (Cavia sp.) | 56 | 74 | 65 | [11] |
| Hamster | 16 | 23 | 20 | |
| Hamster (Chinese) (Cricetulus griseus) | 21 | [5] | ||
| Hamster (Golden) (Mesocricetus auratus) | 16 | [5] | ||
| Hare (European) (Lepus europaeus) | 41 | [5] | ||
| Hedgehog (European) (Erinaceus europaeus) | 34 | [5] | ||
| Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) | 225 | 250 | 237 | [5] |
| Horse (Equus caballus) | 330 | 342 | 336 | [5] |
| Human (Homo sapiens) | 259 | 275 | 270 | [5] |
| Hyena (Striped) (Hyaena hyaena) | 90 | [12] | ||
| Jackal (golden) (Canis aureus) | 62 | [2] | ||
| Kangaroo | 42 | |||
| Kinkajou (Potos flavus) | 77 | [5] | ||
| Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) | 34 | [13] | ||
| Langur (northern plain) (Semnopithecus entellus or Presbytis entellus) | 183 | [8] | ||
| Lemur (Lemur sp.) | 128 | [2] | ||
| Leopard (Panthera pardus) | 92 | 95 | 93 | [5] |
| Lion (Panthera leo) | 108 | [5] | ||
| Llama (Lama glama) | 330 | [5] | ||
| Lynx (Canadian) (Lynx canadensis) | 60 | [5] | ||
| Macaque (Bonnet) (Macaca radiata) | 153 | 169 | 161 | [8] |
| Macaque (Celebes crested) (Macaca nigra) | 155 | 175 | 164 | [8] |
| Macaque (Crab-eating) (Macaca fascicularis) | 153 | 179 | 165 | [8] |
| Macaque (Formosan rock) (Macaca cyclopis) | 163 | [8] | ||
| Macaque (Japanese) (Macaca fuscata) | 150 | 180 | 166 | [8] |
| Macaque (Rhesus) (Macaca mulatta) | 164 | [8] | ||
| Macaque (Southern pig-tailed) (Macaca nemestrina) | 168 | 171 | 170 | [8] |
| Macaque (Stump-tailed) (Macaca arctoides) | 168 | 184 | 182 | [8] |
| Macaque (Toque) (Macaca sinica) | 180 | [8] | ||
| Mangabey (Grey-cheeked) (Cercocebus albigena) | 174 | [8] | ||
| Howler monkey (mantled howler) (Alquatta paliatta) | 139 | [5] | ||
| Marmoset (Goeldi's) (Callimico goeldii) | 149 | 152 | 151 | [8] |
| Mink | 40 | 75 | 57 | |
| Monkey (blue) (Cercopithecus mitis) | 140 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (Dusky leaf) (Trachypithecus obscurus or Presbytis obscurus) | 150 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (patas) (Erythrocebus patas) | 192 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (proboscis) (Nasalis larvatus) | 166 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (Red-tailed) (Cercopithecus ascanius) | 190 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (spider) (Ateles sp.) | 139 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (squirrel) (Saimiri sp.) | 167 | [2] | ||
| Monkey (Talapoin) (Cercopithecus talapoin) | 196 | [8] | ||
| Monkey (Vervet) (Cercopithecus pygerythrus) | 195 | [5] | ||
| Moose (Alces alces) | 240 | 250 | 245 | |
| Mouse (domestic) (Mus musculus) | 19 | [5] | ||
| Mouse (meadow) | 21 | |||
| Mouse (Cotton) (Peromyscus gossypinus) | 23 | [5] | ||
| Mouse (White-footed) (Peromyscus leucopus) | 23 | [5] | ||
| Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) | 28 | 30 | 29 | |
| Opossum (Virginia) (Didelphis virginiana) | 12 | 13 | 12 | |
| Orangutan (Bornean) (Pongo pygmaeus) | 234 | [2] | ||
| Orca (Orcinus orca) | 473 | 567 | 532 | [14] |
| Otter (Lutra sp.) | 60 | 86 | 73 | |
| Pig (domestic) (Sus domesticus) | 112 | 115 | 113 | |
| Porcupine (Crested) (Hystrix cristata) | 112 | [5] | ||
| Porcupine (North American) (Erethizon dorsatum) | 113 | [5] | ||
| Porpoise (harbour) (Phocoena phocoena) | 270 | [5] | ||
| Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) | 246 | [2] | ||
| Puma (Puma concolor) | 90 | |||
| Quokka (Setonix brachyurus) | 26 | [5] | ||
| Rabbit (domestic) | 28 | 35 | 31 | [11] |
| Rabbit (European) (Oryctolagus cuniculus) | 31 | [5] | ||
| Raccoon (Procyon lotor) | 63 | [5] | ||
| Rat (Rattus sp.) | 21 | 23 | 22 | [15] |
| Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) | 215 | [2] | ||
| Rat (Hispid cotton) (Sigmodon hispidus) | 27 | [5] | ||
| Rhinoceros (black) (Diceros bicornis) | 450 | |||
| Rhinoceros (Indian) (Rhinoceros unicornis) | 478 | [12] | ||
| Rhinoceros (white) (Ceratotherium simum) | 467 | [2] | ||
| Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) | 255 | [5] | ||
| Seal | 330 | |||
| Seal (Northern fur) (Callorhinus ursinus) | 254 | [5] | ||
| Seal (Weddel) (Leptonychotes wedelli) | 310 | [5] | ||
| Sea lion (California) (Zalophus californianus) | 350 | [5] | ||
| Sheep (Ovis aries) | 150 | [5] | ||
| Sheep (Bighorn) (Ovis canadensis) | 180 | [2] | ||
| Slow loris (Sunda loris) (Nycticebus coucang) | 90 | [5] | ||
| Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) | 236 | [8] | ||
| Skunk (Striped) (Mephitis mephitis) | 65 | [2] | ||
| Squirrel (gray) (Sciurus carolinensis) | 30 | 40 | 35 | |
| Squirrel (red) (Sciurus vulgaris) | 38 | [5] | ||
| Stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) | 9.5 | 12 | 11 | [16] |
| Tamarin (Saguinus sp.) | 162 | [2] | ||
| Tapir (Malayan) (Acrocodia indica) | 379 | [2] | ||
| Tiger (Panthera tigris) | 105 | 113 | 109 | |
| Treeshrew (common) (Tupaia glis) | 46 | [5] | ||
| Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) | 456 | |||
| Whale (Beluga) (Delphinapterus leucas) | 408 | [2] | ||
| Whale (sperm) (Physeter catodon) | 480 | 590 | 535 | |
| Wolf (Canis lupus) | 60 | 68 | 64 | |
| Wombat | 26 | 28 | 27 | |
| Woolly monkey (Brown) (Lagothrix lagothrica) | 139 | [8] | ||
| Yak (Bos grunniens) | 255 | [5] | ||
| Zebu (Bos indicus) | 280 | [5] | ||
| Zebra (Burchell's) (Equus quagga burchelli) | 390 | [2] | ||
| Zebra (Grant's) (Equus quagga boehmi) | 361 | 390 | 375 | |
Factors affecting the gestation period in mammals
editThere are several factors affecting the length of the gestation period in mammals.
Animal size/mass
editThere is a positive relationship between mass at birth and length of gestation in eutherian mammals.[17] Larger mammals are more likely to produce a well-developed neonate than small mammals. Large mammals develop at an absolute slower rate compared to small mammals. Thus, the large mammal tend have longer gestation periods than small mammal as they tend to produce larger neonate.[18] Large mammals require a longer period of time to attain any proportion of adult mass compared to small mammals.[19]
The level of development at birth
editMore developed infants will typically require a longer gestation period. Altricial mammals needs less time to gestate compare to the precocial (well-developed neonate) mammal. A typical precocial mammal has a gestation period almost four times longer than a typical altricial mammal of the same body size.[20] Precocial mammal species generally have greater adult body weights than altricial mammals as precocial mammals have markedly longer gestation periods than altricial mammals.[21] The neonatal of larger mammals develop relatively more quickly and thus making it more likely that a large mammal would produce a more well-developed neonate as a consequence of its longer gestation period. In some cases, some mammal species may have similar gestation periods despite having significantly different body masses.[22]
Environmental factor
editIn response to the conditions of the environment, some mammals, such as bat delay the implantation due to the cold temperature in winter.[23] Another factor is due to the shortage of food stocks during winter as the insects are being driven away and as the result, bat hibernate in pregnant condition.[24]
In pinnipeds, the purpose of delayed implantation is in order to increase survival chance of the young animals as the mother ensure that the neonates are born at an optimal season.[25]
See also
edit- Evolution of mammals - Timing of placental evolution
- Gestation
References
editCitations
edit- ^ infoplease.com > Health and Science > Environment and Nature > Nature > Gestation, Incubation, and Longevity of Selected Animals By James G. Doherty, general curator, The Wildlife Conservation Society. Retrieved on April 9, 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Langer, P. (2008). The phases of maternal investment in eutherian mammals. Zoology, 111(2), 148-162.
- ^ Paris Hill Farm. "Alpacas 101". Retrieved 2012-07-14.
- ^ Northwest Alpacas. "Alpaca Q&A". Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd Sacher, G. A., & Staffeldt, E. F. (1974). Relation of gestation time to brain weight for placental mammals: implications for the theory of vertebrate growth. The American Naturalist, 108(963), 593-615.
- ^ Christian R. Abee; Keith Mansfield; Suzette D. Tardif; Timothy Morris, eds. (May 9, 2012). Nonhuman Primates in Biomedical Research: Biology and Management. Academic Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-12-397837-0.
- ^ University of Michigan. "Ursus Americanus". Retrieved 2013-01-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Ardito, G. (1976). Check-list of the data on the gestation length of primates. Journal of human evolution, 5(2), 213-222.
- ^ "Pregnant cows, timing of pregnancy, open cows, pregnancy rate".
- ^ A.Rijnberk, F.J (2005). Anamnese en lichamelijk onderzoek bij gezelschapsdieren, A.Rijnberk, F.J.van Sluis, 2nd print, Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, 2005, (Current Dutch veterinary examination study book for small domestic mammals)
- ^ a b c d e Anamnese en lichamelijk onderzoek bij gezelschapsdieren, A.Rijnberk, F.J.van Sluis, 2nd print, Bohn Stafleu van Loghum, 2005, (Current Dutch veterinary examination study book for small domestic mammals)
- ^ a b Kiltie, R. A. (1982). Intraspecific variation in the mammalian gestation period. Journal of Mammalogy, 63(4), 646-652.
- ^ Larry Vogelnest; Rupert Woods (August 18, 2008). Medicine of Australian Mammals. Csiro Publishing. p. 439. ISBN 978-0-643-09928-9.
- ^ Frances M.D. Gulland; Leslie A. Dierauf; Karyl L. Whitman (20 March 2018). CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal Medicine. CRC Press. p. 408. ISBN 978-1-351-38416-2.
- ^ The Laboratory Rat, 2nd Edition, Eds. Mark A. Sucklow, Steven H. Weisbroth, and Craig L. Franklin. Page 151.
- ^ . A timetable of embryonic development, and ovarian and uterine changes during pregnancy, in the stripe-faced dunnart, Sminthopsis macroura (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Journal of reproduction and fertility 91 1 (1991): 213-27. DOI 10.1530/jrf.0.0910213
- ^ Sacher, G. A., & Staffeldt, E. F. (1974).Relation of gestation time to brain weight for placental mammals: implications for the theory of vertebrate growth. The American Naturalist, 108(963), 593-615.
- ^ Martin, R. D., Genoud, M., & Hemelrijk, C. K. (2005). Problems of allometric scaling analysis: examples from mammalian reproductive biology. Journal of Experimental Biology, 208(9), 1731-1747.
- ^ Zullinger, E. M., Ricklefs, R. E., Redford, K. H., & Mace, G. M. (1984). Fitting sigmoidal equations to mammalian growth curves. Journal of Mammalogy, 65(4), 607-636.
- ^ Martin, R. D., & MacLarnon, A. M. (1985). Gestation period, neonatal size and maternal investment in placental mammals. Nature, 313(5999), 220-223.
- ^ Derrickson, E. M. (1992). Comparative reproductive strategies of altricial and precocial eutherian mammals. Functional Ecology, 57-65.
- ^ Isler, K., & van Schaik, C. P. (2009). The expensive brain: a framework for explaining evolutionary changes in brain size. Journal of human evolution, 57(4), 392-400.
- ^ Racey, P. A., & Swift, S. M. (1981). Variations in gestation length in a colony of pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) from year to year. Reproduction, 61(1), 123-129.
- ^ Bradley, S. (2006). The ecology of bat reproduction.
- ^ Scheffer, V. B., & York, A. E. (1997). Timing of implantation in the northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus. Journal of Mammalogy, 78(2), 675-683.
Sources
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