WATER EXCHANGE, TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE, OXYGEN CONSUMPTION AND ACTIVITY OF THE NAMIB DESERT SNAIL, TRIGONEPHRUS SP. |
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Authors: | DALLAS HELEN F; CURTIS BARBARA A; WARD DAVID |
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Institution: |
Desert Ecological Research Unit of Namibia Gobabeb, P. O. Box 1592, Swakopmund, Namibia |
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Abstract: | Water exchange, temperature tolerance and oxygen consumptionof the snail, Trigonephrus sp., from the southern Namib desertof Namibia were examined and related to activity. At 25°Cand 15% R.H. mean water loss and food and water uptake were5.95 mg. day1 and 630 mg.day1, respectively. Bodytemperature tracked sand temperature. Snails tolerated sandtemperatures as high as 45°C. Mean ± S.D. oxygenconsumption rates were 32.0 ± 2.94 µlO2.g totalbody mass1.h1 at 15°C, when the snails wereactive, and 11.27 µlO2.g total body mass1.h1at 25°C, when the snails were inactive. These values are2-6 times lower than those recorded for the similarly sizedmesic snail, Helix aspersa. Activity experiments indicated thatlow ambient temperatures and high humidities were favoured bythe snails. This, together with the burying behaviour of thesesnails during high temperatures, suggests that they limit stressby restricting activity to physiologically-favourable periods,even though more-extreme conditions may be tolerated. (Received 7 June 1990; accepted 20 November 1990) |
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