Environmental and physiological determinants of huddling behavior of molting female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina)

• Published in: Physiology & Behavior
• Main Authors: Chaise, Laureline, Mccafferty, Dominic, Krellenstein, Adélie, Gallon, Susan, Paterson, William, Thery, Marc, Ancel, André, Gilbert, Caroline
• Other Authors: Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Glasgow, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews Scotland, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort (ENVA)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: stomach temperature; meteorological variations; phocids; aggregation behavior; heat loss; habitat type; [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology; Wallows; Elephant Seal; Elephant Seals; Mirounga leonina; Southern Elephant Seal; Southern Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02108299; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02108299/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02108299/file/PHB_2018_3_Original_V0.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.10.016

International audience Thermoregulation is particularly costly for homeotherms living in extreme environmental conditions. The southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina undertakes an annual catastrophic molt while fasting on land in a wet, windy and cold environment. However, southern elephant seals s...