ENERGETICS OF REPRODUCTION IN THE LESSER HEDGEHOG TENREC, ECHINOPS TELFAIRI (MARTIN)

The aim of this study was to determine how a tropical tenrec, Echinops telfairi, is able to meet the obligatory extra costs of pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy, mean body weight increased from 174.8g ( 7.3 SD) to 279.0 g (10.0 SD), resting metabolic rare (RMR) from 28.7 k J.d(-1) (0.4 SD) to 68.1.kJ d(-1) (1.3 SD), and daily energy expenditu re (DEE) from 42.1 kJ.d(-1) (35 SD) to 87.2 kJ.d(-1) (2.9 SD). Females actively maintained homeothermy throughout pregnancy. Food intake inc reased from 49.6 kJ.d(-1) (2.5 SD) to 121 kJ.d(-1) (13.1 SD) during mi dpregnancy then gradually fell to 70.2 kJ.d(-1) (10.6 SD) prior to par turition. Throughout lactation, body weight was stable at 262.6 g (4.3 SD). The mean RMR was 35.3 kJ.d(-1) (0.8 SD), and DEE was 61.4 kJ.d(- 1) (14.2 SD) when one pup was suckled. Homeothermy was also maintained throughout lactation. Food intake increased dramatically to 151 kJ.d( -1) (20.3 SD), and the energy transferred as milk to the litter was ca lculated to be between 34.9 kJ.d(-1) and 116.3 kJ.d(-1). We conclude t hat the extra energetic costs of reproduction were met by an increase in energy intake. Animals remained homeothermic, and there was no evid ence of metabolic compensation,