Age structure of yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis Melchior, 1834) in two samples obtained from live traps and owl pellets

The age structure of yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis Melchior 1834) has been analyzed in individuals obtained by two methods: Trapping with Sherman live traps and obtainment of skulls from long-eared owl (Asio otus Linnaeus, 1758) pellets (predator diet analysis). One hundred and forty-four mice were analyzed for the degree of wear of the surface of molar crowns, and an additional 74 measurements were performed on captive-born Apodemus flavicollis individuals. We used a refined model of comparison that included seven classes of mouse age, rather than four classes, as suggested by other authors. Uzrasna struktura Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834) analizirana je na uzorku pribavljenom primenom dve metode: izlovljavanjem Sermanovim klopkama i prikupljanjem lobanja miseva iz gvalica sove Asio otus Linnaeus. Kod ukupno 144 jedinke studiran je stepen izrabljenosti molarnih krunica; izvrsena su i 74 dodatna merenja kod jedinki gajenih u laboratorijskim uslovima. Tokom istrazivanja koriscen je redefinisani model kombinacije sedam uzrasnih klasa miseva (a ne cetiri, kako su ranije sugerisali pojedini strucnjaci).