Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations
Studies investigating heterothermy under natural conditions are particularly scarce for tropical species. However, heterothermy patterns in tropical and subtropical environments often differ markedly from those observed in arctic and temperate species. The investigation of heterothermy in strepsirhi...
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crbrillap:10.1159/000095392 2024-06-23T07:50:31+00:00 Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Masters, Judith C. Lovegrove, Barry G. 2006 http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000095392 https://brill.com/view/journals/ijfp/77/6/article-p465_6.xml https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/ijfp/77/6/article-p465_6.xml unknown Brill Folia Primatologica volume 77, issue 6, page 465-476 ISSN 0015-5713 1421-9980 journal-article 2006 crbrillap https://doi.org/10.1159/000095392 2024-06-03T08:12:06Z Studies investigating heterothermy under natural conditions are particularly scarce for tropical species. However, heterothermy patterns in tropical and subtropical environments often differ markedly from those observed in arctic and temperate species. The investigation of heterothermy in strepsirhine primates has focussed largely on the Malagasy cheirogaleids. In addition, a physiological verification of torpor occurrence in mainland strepsirhines is important with regard to arguments pertaining to the colonization of Madagascar by strepsirhine primates. We measured body temperatures of 11 free-ranging Galago moholi, between February 2002 and September 2003, for 3 consecutive months for each animal. No incidents of heterothermy were recorded throughout the study period. We considered how physiological and ecological aspects of G. moholi biology might have obviated the use of torpor. It was suggested that the breeding pattern observed in G. moholi prevented torpor use whilst increasing fecundity, and that the ecological costs of torpor far outweighed the energetic costs. This study highlights the need for more studies on free-ranging animals to elucidate the physiological, ecological and phylogenetic constraints and determinants of torpor use. Furthermore, if convincing arguments are to be made regarding the possible role of heterothermy in species dispersal, more data from free-ranging animals are needed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Brill Arctic Folia Primatologica 77 6 465 476 |
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Studies investigating heterothermy under natural conditions are particularly scarce for tropical species. However, heterothermy patterns in tropical and subtropical environments often differ markedly from those observed in arctic and temperate species. The investigation of heterothermy in strepsirhine primates has focussed largely on the Malagasy cheirogaleids. In addition, a physiological verification of torpor occurrence in mainland strepsirhines is important with regard to arguments pertaining to the colonization of Madagascar by strepsirhine primates. We measured body temperatures of 11 free-ranging Galago moholi, between February 2002 and September 2003, for 3 consecutive months for each animal. No incidents of heterothermy were recorded throughout the study period. We considered how physiological and ecological aspects of G. moholi biology might have obviated the use of torpor. It was suggested that the breeding pattern observed in G. moholi prevented torpor use whilst increasing fecundity, and that the ecological costs of torpor far outweighed the energetic costs. This study highlights the need for more studies on free-ranging animals to elucidate the physiological, ecological and phylogenetic constraints and determinants of torpor use. Furthermore, if convincing arguments are to be made regarding the possible role of heterothermy in species dispersal, more data from free-ranging animals are needed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Masters, Judith C. Lovegrove, Barry G. |
spellingShingle |
Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Masters, Judith C. Lovegrove, Barry G. Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
author_facet |
Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Masters, Judith C. Lovegrove, Barry G. |
author_sort |
Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi |
title |
Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
title_short |
Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
title_full |
Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
title_fullStr |
Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Lack of Torpor in Free-Ranging Southern Lesser Galagos, Galago moholi: Ecological and Physiological Considerations |
title_sort |
lack of torpor in free-ranging southern lesser galagos, galago moholi: ecological and physiological considerations |
publisher |
Brill |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000095392 https://brill.com/view/journals/ijfp/77/6/article-p465_6.xml https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/ijfp/77/6/article-p465_6.xml |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Folia Primatologica volume 77, issue 6, page 465-476 ISSN 0015-5713 1421-9980 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1159/000095392 |
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Folia Primatologica |
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77 |
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6 |
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465 |
op_container_end_page |
476 |
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1802641424645095424 |