Heat tolerance of short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in the field

(1) Echidnas occur throughout the hot arid zone of Australia yet laboratory studies have concluded that they are ill equipped physiologically to manage Ta higher than 35°C. (2) Consequently, it is generally assumed that echidnas must rely on behavioural thermoregulation, being nocturnal in hot weath...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of thermal biology Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 449 - 457
Main Authors Brice, Peter H, Grigg, Gordon C, Beard, Lyn A, Donovan, Janette A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2002
Subjects
Body temperature
Echidna
Heat tolerance
Tachyglossus aculeatus
Thermoregulation
Echidna
Thermoregulation
Heat tolerance
Body temperature
Tachyglossus aculeatus
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:(1) Echidnas occur throughout the hot arid zone of Australia yet laboratory studies have concluded that they are ill equipped physiologically to manage Ta higher than 35°C. (2) Consequently, it is generally assumed that echidnas must rely on behavioural thermoregulation, being nocturnal in hot weather and seeking less extreme microclimates during the day. (3) By monitoring Tb of echidnas in the field and relating these to Ta within their day time shelters in Western Queensland during summer, this study showed that echidnas are able to tolerate Ta of 35–40°C in hollow logs for up to 10h. (4) Further, as Tb remains < Ta in these situations, echidnas may have physiological mechanisms for dealing with the heat after all.
ISSN:0306-4565
1879-0992
DOI:10.1016/S0306-4565(02)00015-3