Z. Arad et C. Korine, EFFECT OF WATER RESTRICTION ON ENERGY AND WATER-BALANCE AND OSMOREGULATION OF THE FRUIT BAT ROUSETTUS-AEGYPTIACUS, Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, 163(5), 1993, pp. 401-405
The energy budget, water balance and osmoregulation of the fruit bat,
Rousettus aegyptiacus, were studied during normal hydration and during
water restriction (oven-dried apple diet). The water input and output
were balanced during both normal hydration and water restriction. The
kidney of the fruit bat is well adapted to handle the water load from
its fruit diet by excreting large volumes (14% of the body mass per d
ay) of dilute urine (113 +/- 25 mosmol . kg H2O-1) as well as reducing
urine volume (- 95 %) and increasing urine osmotic concentration (555
+/- 280 mosmol . kg H2O-1) during water restriction. The haematocrit,
plasma haemoglobin and total protein concentrations did not increase
during water restriction and heat exposure, suggesting the conservatio
n of plasma volume. Gross energy intake was not affected by water rest
riction. However, digested energy intake and digestibility were signif
icantly reduced. The effective regulation of energy and water budgets
during water restriction suggests that the fruit bat can cope with sea
sonal climatic changes and with variable fruit supply during various s
easons.