title: Diurnal mice (Mus musculus) and other examples of temporal niche switching.
abstract: Examples are presented of nocturnal animals becoming diurnal or vice versa as a result of mutations, genetic manipulations, or brain lesions. Understanding these cases could give insight into mechanisms employed when switches of temporal niche occur as part of the life cycle, or in response to circumstances such as availability of food. A two-process account of niche switching is advocated, involving both a change in clock-controlled outputs and a change in the direct response to light (i.e. masking). An emerging theme from this review is the suggestion that retinal inputs have a greater role in switching than suspected previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, ON, M5S3G5, Canada. mro@zoo.utoronto.ca
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mrosovsky
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hattar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D010507:Periodicity; D017440:Photoperiod; D051381:Rats; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099210:Melanopsin
chemical_list: D017299:Rod Opsins; D000099210:Melanopsin