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Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 204, Issue 2 269-281, Copyright © 2001 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Behavioural, physiological and metabolic responses to long-term starvation and refeeding in a blind cave-dwelling (Proteus anguinus) and a surface-dwelling (Euproctus asper) salamander

F Hervant, J Mathieu and J Durand
Hydrobiologie et Ecologie Souterraines (UMR CNRS 5023), Universite Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France. hervant@cismsun.univ-lyon1.fr

The effects of long-term starvation and subsequent refeeding on haematological variables, behaviour, rates of oxygen consumption and intermediary and energy metabolism were studied in morphologically similar surface- and cave-dwelling salamanders. To provide a hypothetical general model representing the responses of amphibians to food stress, a sequential energy strategy has been proposed, suggesting that four successive phases (termed stress, transition, adaptation and recovery) can be distinguished. The metabolic response to prolonged food deprivation was monophasic in the epigean Euproctus asper (Salamandridae), showing an immediate, linear and large decrease in all the energy reserves. In contrast, the hypogean Proteus anguinus (Proteidae) displayed successive periods of glucidic, lipidic and finally lipido-proteic-dominant catabolism during the course of food deprivation. The remarkable resistance to long-term fasting and the very quick recovery from nutritional stress of this cave organism may be explained partly by its ability to remain in an extremely prolonged state of protein sparing and temporary torpor. Proteus anguinus had reduced metabolic and activity rates (considerably lower than those of most surface-dwelling amphibians). These results are interpreted as adaptations to a subterranean existence in which poor and discontinuous food supplies and/or intermittent hypoxia may occur for long periods. Therefore, P. anguinus appears to be a good example of a low-energy-system vertebrate.


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F. Hervant and D. Renault
Long-term fasting and realimentation in hypogean and epigean isopods: a proposed adaptive strategy for groundwater organisms
J. Exp. Biol., July 15, 2002; 205(14): 2079 - 2087.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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