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Rectal temperatures before and after parturition in bottlenose dolphins
Author(s) -
Terasawa Fumio,
Yokoyama Yoshihiro,
Kitamura Masakazu
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2361(1999)18:2<153::aid-zoo7>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - post partum , biology , bottlenose dolphin , zoology , rectal temperature , pregnancy , fishery , genetics
Abstract In five parturitions of four bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus gilli ), rectal temperatures (Rts) were determined at least once a day during the late period of pregnancy. Four of the five pregnancies showed a drop in RT ranging from 0.7 to 1.3°C (an average decrease of 0.9°C) from 24 to 12 hr pre‐partum. In these four cases, RT was significantly lower than their averages from 10 days to 1 day pre‐partum ( P < 0.05). In two dolphins, the first RT post‐partum was higher than the average RT from 10 days to 1 day pre‐partum. Seasonal changes in RT were observed in six non‐pregnant dolphins. Average RT in June through August was significantly higher and in December through February was significantly lower than the rest of the year ( P < 0.01). Zoo Biol 18:153–156, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.