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First published online January 31, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 586-592 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02701
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Cooling rates and body temperature regulation of hibernating echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

Stewart C. Nicol* and Niels A. Andersen

1School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 5, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia and 2Discipline of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 24, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: s.c.nicol{at}utas.edu.au)

Accepted 18 December 2006

Echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) are amongst the largest deep hibernators, but it is difficult to get them to hibernate normally under laboratory conditions. We measured body temperature (Tb) in 14 free-ranging echidnas using implanted data-loggers. Cooling during entry into hibernation bouts followed a Newtonian cooling curve, and conductances calculated from cooling curves were identical to those observed in cold exposed euthermic echidnas. Comparison with a reference soil temperature demonstrated that echidnas showed behavioural thermoregulation during hibernation; early in the hibernation season echidnas preferred to hibernate in cool areas, while during the coldest months they moved to warmer hibernacula, giving a preferred Tb in the range 8–10°C. Thermal buffering against excessive variation in Tb may be as important as maintaining a low Tb.

Key words: echidna, monotreme, hibernation, cooling, thermoregulation, conductance


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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007