Thermoregulation and metaboHc acclimation in the Natal mole - rat ( Cryptomys hottentotus natalensis ) ( Roden tia : Bathyergidae )
نویسنده
چکیده
The social Natal mole-rat Cryptomys hottentotus natalensis has a mean (± S.D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when newly captured of 1.03 ± 0.25 cm^ O2 g~^ (n = 7) at an ambient temperature (Ta) of 30 °C, within the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) of 30-31.5 °C. Two months after maintenance in the laboratory at 26 °C, the RMR of the same animals showed a concomitant drop in value of 20 % at 30 °C (TNZ) to a mean of 0.80 ± 0.12 cm^ O2 g~^ h~^ (n = 14), indicating that laboratory accHmation had occurred. The body temperature of the mole-rat is low 33.4 ± 0.83 (n = 36) and remains stable at Ta's from 10-30 °C. Above 31.5 °C, Tb increases albeit sHghtly to 35.7 ± 0.51 °C (n = 24). The conductance is high 0.13 ± 0.03 cm"' O2 g~^ h~' °C~^ (n = 24) at the lower limit of thermoneutrahty. The mean RMR at 18 °C (the lowest Ta tested) was 1.83 ± 0.46 cm^ O2 g"' h"^ which is 2.2 times that of the RMR in the TNZ. The nest (where mole-rats rest for up to 80 % of the day) is the focal point of the burrow System. The selection for C. h. natalensis to acclimate within its TNZ may relate to seasonal fluctuations in the temperature occurring in the shallow nest, resulting in seasonal acclimatisation in RMR.
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تاریخ انتشار 2014