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Thermoregulation in two population of the Matabeleland mole‐rat (Cryptomys hottentotus nimrodi) and remarks on the general thermoregulatory trends within the genus Cryptomys (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)
Author(s) -
Bennett N. C.,
Cotterill F. P. D.,
Spinks A. C.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05433.x
Subject(s) - biology , population , thermoregulation , zoology , ecology , demography , sociology
The social Matabeleland mole‐rat Cryptomys hottentotus nimrodi occurs in both the high‐and lowveld of Zimbabwe. The population in the highveld has a mean (± S. D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when acclimated for three months in the laboratory of 0.83 ± 0.04cm 3 O 2 g ‐l h ‐l (n=12) within the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) of 31‐32°. The body temperature (T b ) within the thermoneutral zone is low 34.4 ± 0.18 ( n = 12) and remains stable at ambient temperatures (T a s) from 25‐32°. Above 32°, T b increases albeit slightly to 36.6 ± 1.46° ( n = 12). The conductance is high 0.17 0.02cm 3 O 2 g ‐1 h ‐ ° ‐1 ( n = 24) at the lower limit of thermoneutrality. The mean RMR at 18° (the lowest T a tested) was 2.29 ± 0.11 cm 3 O 2 g ‐1 h ‐1 , which is 2.75 times that of the RMR in the TNZ. The population in the lowveld has a mean (± S.D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when acclimated for three months in the laboratory of 0.95 ± 0.07 cm 3 O 2 g ‐1 h ‐1 ( n = 12) within the themoneutral zone (TNZ) of 28‐30 °. The body temperature within the thermoneutral zone is low 34.0 ± 0.23 ( n = 12) and remains stable at T a s from 25‐30 °. Above 32 °, T b increases, albeit slightly, to 37.8 ± 1.14 ° ( n = 12). The conductance is high 0.14 ± 0.09cm 3 O 2 g ‐1 h ‐1 ° ‐1 ( n = 24) at the lower limit of thermoneutrality. The mean RMR at 18 ° (the lowest T a tested) was 1.96 ± 0.12cm 3 O 2 g ‐1 h ‐1 , which is 2.0 times that of the RMR in the TNZ. These thermoregulatory parameters are compared with published data on other species of Cryptomys from Southern and Central Africa.