Pk. Phillips et Je. Heath, An infrared thermographic study of surface temperature in the euthermic woodchuck (Marmota monax), COMP BIOC A, 129(2-3), 2001, pp. 557-562
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences",Physiology
Journal title
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
Surface temperatures were measured in euthermic woodchucks (Marmota monax)
using infrared thermography across a range of ambient temperatures from -10
degreesC to 32 degreesC. The woodchuck keeps surface temperature of the pe
ripalpebral region uniformly high, while head and body surfaces change prop
ortionally with ambient temperature. When ambient temperature was below 0 d
egreesC, all surface temperatures increased which prevents freezing. At no
point did the animals appear to be unable to regulate heat exchange. This s
pecies appears to be especially well adapted to the higher temperatures it
encounters in its range. Vasomotion in the feet and to a lesser extent in t
he pinnae was used to regulate heat loss. At ambient temperature of 32 degr
eesC, mean temperatures of nose surfaces were 0.2 degreesC and 0.3 degreesC
less than ambient temperature suggesting a type of counter current cooling
mechanism may be present. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserv
ed.