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Thermal energetics of female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus).
- Source :
-
Canadian Journal of Zoology . Jun2005, Vol. 83 Issue 6, p871-879. 9p. - Publication Year :
- 2005
-
Abstract
- We investigated thermoregulation and energetics in female big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Beauvois, 1796). We exposed bats to a range of ambient temperatures (Ta) and used open-flow respirometry to record their metabolic responses. The bats were typically thermoconforming and almost always entered torpor at Tas below the lower critical temperature Tlc of 26.7 °C. Basal metabolic rate (BMR, 16.98 ± 2.04 mL O2·h–1, mean body mass = 15.0 ± 1.4 g) and torpid metabolic rate (TMR, 0.460 ± 0.207 mL O2·h–1, mean body mass = 14.7 ± 1.3 g) were similar to values reported for other vespertilionid bats of similar size and similar to a value for E. fuscus BMR calculated from data in a previous paper. However, we found that big brown bats had a lower Tlc and lower thermal conductance at low Ta relative to those measured in the previous study. During torpor, the minimum individual body temperature (Tb) that we recorded was 1.1 °C and the bats began defending minimum Tb at Ta of approximately 0 °C. BMR of big brown bats was 76% of that predicted for bats based on the relationship between BMR and body mass. However, the Vespert ilionidae have been under-represented in previous analyses of the relationship between BMR and body mass in bats. Our data, combined with data for other vespertilionids, suggest that the family may be characterized by a lower BMR than that predicted based on data from other groups of bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *BATS
*BODY temperature regulation
*VESPERTILIONIDAE
*MAMMALS
*FREE-tailed bats
*ANTS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00084301
- Volume :
- 83
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Canadian Journal of Zoology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17992698
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1139/Z05-074