Thermogenic characteristics and evaporative water loss in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) |
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Authors: | Wan-Long Zhu Lin ZhangZheng-Kun Wang |
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Institution: | School of life Science of Yunnan Normal University, Engineering Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Biomass Energy, Ministry of Education, Kunming 650092, China |
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Abstract: | Thermogenic characteristics and evaporative water loss were measured at different temperatures in Tupaia belangeri. The thermal neutral zone (TNZ) of T. belangeri was 30–35 °C. Mean body temperature was 39.76±0.27 °C and mean body mass was 100.86±9.09 g. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) was 1.38±0.03 ml O2/g h. Average minimum thermal conductance (Cm) was 0.13±0.01 ml O2/g h °C. Evaporative water loss in T. belangeri increased when the temperature rose; the maximal evaporative water loss was 3.88±0.41 mg H2O/g h at 37.5 °C. The results may reflect features of small mammals in the sub-tropical plateau region: T. belangeri had high basal metabolic rate and high total thermal conductance, compared with the predicted values based on their body mass whilst their body temperatures are relatively high; T. belangeri has high levels of evaporative water loss and poor water-retention capacity. Evaporative water loss plays an important role in temperature regulation. |
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Keywords: | Tupaia belangeri Evaporative water loss Body temperature regulation |
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