Journal
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
Volume 152, Issue 3, Pages 379-388Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.11.011
Keywords
Thermoregulation; Animal behaviour; Heat transfer; Antelope; Pelt
Categories
Funding
- National Research Foundation of South Africa
- University Research Committee
- Medical Faculty Research Endowment Fund of the University of the Witwatersrand
- START/PACOM Doctoral Research Fellowship
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
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Using intra-abdominal miniature data loggers, we measured core body temperature in female springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) of three colour morphs (black, normal and white), free-living in the Karoo, South Africa, for one year. During winter, white springbok displayed lower daily minimum body temperatures (37.4 +/- 0.5 degrees C), than both black (38.1 +/- 0.3 degrees C) and normal (38.0 +/- 0.6 degrees C) springbok. During spring, black springbok displayed higher daily maximum body temperatures (40.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C) than both white (40.2 +/- 0.2 degrees C) and normal (40.2 +/- 0.2 degrees C) springbok. These high maximum body temperatures were associated with larger daily amplitudes of nychthemeral rhythm of body temperature (2.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C), than that of white (1.6 +/- 0.1 degrees C) and normal (1.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C) springbok. Biophysical properties of sample springbok pelts were consistent with these patterns, as the black springbok pelt showed lower reflectance in the visible spectral range, and higher heat load from simulated solar radiation, than did the pelts of the other two springbok. Black springbok had lower diurnal activity in winter, consistent with them having to forage less because their metabolic cost of homeothermy was lower, but were disadvantaged in hot periods. White springbok, by contrast, were more protected from solar heat load, but potentially less able to meet the energy cost of homeothermy in winter. Thus energy considerations may underlie the rarity of the springbok colour morphs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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