The thermal biology of three southern African elephant-shrews

1. 1. The thermal characteristics of Petrodromus tetradactylus, Elephantulus intufi and E. brachyrhynchus were investigated and compared with other elephant-shrews that occur in the southern African subregion.

2. 2. E. intufi and E. brachyrhynchus appear to have lower than expected basal metabolic rates (1.1185 ± 0.1623 and 0.9649 ± 0.1638 ml O₂ g⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively) and high, narrow thermoneutral zones, similar to other elephant-shrews investigated previously. In contrast P. tetradactylus has a basal metabolic rate (0.871 ± 0.027 ml O₂ g⁻¹ h⁻¹) close to expected for body mass, and a broad, low thermoneutral zone.

3. 3. The thermal biology of macroscelids is discussed in terms of their distribution, microhabitat and body size.