Abstract
1. 1.|Dorsal surface temperature (Ts) and rectal temperature (Tb) were measured in four captive endothermic brown long-eared bats, Plecotus auritus, resting at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 5, 15 and 25°C. 2. 2.|A heat flux model for the bats was derived and the reduction in radiant and convective heat loss associated with small reductions in Tb were predicted from thoeretical equations. 3. 3.|A drop in body temperature from the maximum (38.2°C) to the minimum (31.5°C) recorded value was estimated to produce energy savings through a reduction in gross radiant and convective heat loss of 25 and 44% of metabolic heat production at ambient temperatures of 5 and 25°C, respectively. 4. 4.|We suggest that small reductions in body temperature offer resting thermolabile bats a compromise between rapid behavioural function associated with high body temperature and low energy demand associated with torpor.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 131-135 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of Thermal Biology |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Jun 1993 |
Keywords
- Body temperature
- brown long-eared bat
- convection
- Plecotus auritus
- surface temperature
- thermal radiation