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Temperature regulation in the echidna ( Tachyglossus aculeatus )
Author(s) -
SchmidtNielsen Knut,
Dawson T. J.,
Crawford E. C.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.1040670108
Subject(s) - evaporation , conductance , metabolic rate , thermoregulation , atmospheric temperature range , biology , zoology , thermodynamics , ecology , physics , endocrinology , condensed matter physics
The echidna ( Tachyglossus aculeatus ) maintained a body temperature of 30.7°C ± 1.03 s.d. (N = 23) at ambient temperatures (T A ) between 0 and 25°C. It may, however, also become hypothermic at low T A . At T A = 30°C or above the echidna became hyperthermic. The thermoneutral range was about 20–30°C. At low T A the metabolic rate might be increased several fold. The thermal conductance was at a minimum at T A = 20°C, and was not further reduced at lower T A . At higher T A the thermal conductance increased up to five‐fold. The evaporation showed little change with increasing T A . At the highest T A we used (33°C) the evaporation on the average accounted for the dissipation of only about one‐third of the metabolic heat produced. These findings suggest that the echidna, although it can maintain its body temperature at low ambient temperature, cannot rely upon evaporation as the major avenue for heat loss at high ambient temperature.