Kenfack augustave; Mweugang Ngouopo Nathalie; Atsamo Albert Donatien; Takam Mbogne Boris; Sevérin Fonkem;
In captivity, African giant rat (AGR) is usually reared under a different photoperiod than in its natural habitat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of photoperiod on male AGR reproduction. For this purpose, twenty rats weighing 945 ± 171g were divided into four lots. Each lot was randomly allocated one of the following lighting times: 0h; 12h; 18h or 24h per day. The essay lasted 8 weeks. The main results showed that the weight of testes and vas deferens were significantly (p0.05). On the other hand, the reduction in the duration of exposure to light did not significantly affect (p>0.05) the serum testosterone concentration and the reaction time of the male to the
presence of a female.
Key Word: African giant rat, male, fertility, Photoperiod, captivity.
