Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi'
Hibernation and daily torpor are energy- and water-saving adaptations employed to survive unfavourable periods mostly in temperate and arctic environments, but also in tropical and arid climates. Heterothermy has been found in a number of mammalian orders, but within the primates so far it seems to...
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ftunivnewengland:oai:rune.une.edu.au:1959.11/16190 2023-08-27T04:08:14+02:00 Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' Nowack, Julia School of Environmental and Rural Science Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Dausman, Kathrin H 2010 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16190 en eng Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0010797 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16190 une:16427 Gold Vertebrate Biology Animal Behaviour Journal Article 2010 ftunivnewengland 2023-08-10T19:24:26Z Hibernation and daily torpor are energy- and water-saving adaptations employed to survive unfavourable periods mostly in temperate and arctic environments, but also in tropical and arid climates. Heterothermy has been found in a number of mammalian orders, but within the primates so far it seems to be restricted to one family of Malagasy lemurs. As currently there is no evidence of heterothermy of a primate outside of Madagascar, the aim of our study was to investigate whether small primates from mainland Africa are indeed always homeothermic despite pronounced seasonal changes in weather and food availability. Methodology/Principal Findings: One of the nearest relatives of Malagasy lemurs, the African lesser bushbaby, 'Galago moholi', which inhabits a highly seasonal habitat with a hot wet-season and a cold dry-season with lower food abundance, was investigated to determine whether it is capable of heterothermy. We measured skin temperature of free-ranging individuals throughout the cool dry season using temperature-sensitive collars as well as metabolic rate in captured individuals. Torpor was employed by 15% of 20 animals. Only one of these animals displayed heterothermy in response to natural availability of food and water, whereas the other animals became torpid without access to food and water. Conclusions/Significance: Our results show that 'G. moholi' are physiologically capable of employing torpor. However they do not use it as a routine behaviour, but only under adverse conditions. This reluctance is presumably a result of conflicting selective pressures for energy savings versus other ecological and evolutionary forces, such as reproduction or territory defence. Our results support the view that heterothermy in primates evolved before the division of African and Malagasy Strepsirhini, with the possible implication that more primate species than previously thought might still have the potential to call upon this possibility, if the situation necessitates it. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Research UNE - University of New England at Armidale, NSW Australia Arctic |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Research UNE - University of New England at Armidale, NSW Australia |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnewengland |
language |
English |
topic |
Vertebrate Biology Animal Behaviour |
spellingShingle |
Vertebrate Biology Animal Behaviour Nowack, Julia School of Environmental and Rural Science Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Dausman, Kathrin H Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
topic_facet |
Vertebrate Biology Animal Behaviour |
description |
Hibernation and daily torpor are energy- and water-saving adaptations employed to survive unfavourable periods mostly in temperate and arctic environments, but also in tropical and arid climates. Heterothermy has been found in a number of mammalian orders, but within the primates so far it seems to be restricted to one family of Malagasy lemurs. As currently there is no evidence of heterothermy of a primate outside of Madagascar, the aim of our study was to investigate whether small primates from mainland Africa are indeed always homeothermic despite pronounced seasonal changes in weather and food availability. Methodology/Principal Findings: One of the nearest relatives of Malagasy lemurs, the African lesser bushbaby, 'Galago moholi', which inhabits a highly seasonal habitat with a hot wet-season and a cold dry-season with lower food abundance, was investigated to determine whether it is capable of heterothermy. We measured skin temperature of free-ranging individuals throughout the cool dry season using temperature-sensitive collars as well as metabolic rate in captured individuals. Torpor was employed by 15% of 20 animals. Only one of these animals displayed heterothermy in response to natural availability of food and water, whereas the other animals became torpid without access to food and water. Conclusions/Significance: Our results show that 'G. moholi' are physiologically capable of employing torpor. However they do not use it as a routine behaviour, but only under adverse conditions. This reluctance is presumably a result of conflicting selective pressures for energy savings versus other ecological and evolutionary forces, such as reproduction or territory defence. Our results support the view that heterothermy in primates evolved before the division of African and Malagasy Strepsirhini, with the possible implication that more primate species than previously thought might still have the potential to call upon this possibility, if the situation necessitates it. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nowack, Julia School of Environmental and Rural Science Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Dausman, Kathrin H |
author_facet |
Nowack, Julia School of Environmental and Rural Science Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi Dausman, Kathrin H |
author_sort |
Nowack, Julia |
title |
Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
title_short |
Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
title_full |
Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
title_fullStr |
Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
title_full_unstemmed |
Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate 'Galago moholi' |
title_sort |
torpor on demand: heterothermy in the non-lemur primate 'galago moholi' |
publisher |
Public Library of Science |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16190 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_relation |
10.1371/journal.pone.0010797 https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/16190 une:16427 |
op_rights |
Gold |
_version_ |
1775348934441435136 |