
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Ikonomopoulou, M. P. 
A1  - Rose, R. W. 
T1  - The metabolic rate and thermal conductance of the eastern barred bandicoot (<emph type="2">Perameles</emph> <emph type="2">gunnii</emph>) at different ambient temperatures
JF  - Australian Journal of Zoology
JO  - Aust. J. Zool.
Y1  - 2004
VL  - 51
IS  - 6
SP  - 603
EP  - 610
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO03064 
N2  - We investigated the metabolic rate, thermoneutral zone and thermal conductance of the eastern barred bandicoot in Tasmania. Five adult eastern barred bandicoots (two males, three non-reproductive females) were tested at temperatures of 3, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40&#176;C. The thermoneutral zone was calculated from oxygen consumption and body temperature, measured during the daytime: their normal resting phase. It was found that the thermoneutral zone lies between 25&#176;C and 30&#176;C, with a minimum metabolic rate of 0.51 mL g&#8211;1 h&#8211;1 and body temperature of 35.8&#176;C. At cooler ambient temperatures (3&#8211;20&#176;C) the body temperature decreased to approximately 34.0&#176;C while the metabolic rate increased from 0.7 to 1.3 mL g&#8211;1 h&#8211;1. At high temperatures (35&#176;C and 40&#176;C) both body temperature (36.9&#8211;38.7&#176;C) and metabolic rate (1.0&#8211;1.5 mL g&#8211;1 h&#8211;1) rose. Thermal conductance was low below an ambient temperature of 30&#176;C but increased significantly at higher temperatures. The low thermal conductance (due, in part, to good insulation, a reduced body temperature at lower ambient temperatures, combined with a relatively high metabolic rate) suggests that this species is well adapted to cooler environments but it could not thermoregulate easily at temperatures above 30&#176;C. 
ER  -

