Fig. 3. Relationship between mass-independent peak (A; PMR) or basal metabolic rates (B; BMR) and rectal temperature. Rectal temperatures were measured at the same time as BMR or PMR. Mass-independent BMR was significantly (r=0.81, P<0.001) correlated with rectal temperature, but mass-independent PMR was not (P=0.13). Solid horizontal lines represent mean metabolic rate calculated (assuming a Q₁₀ of 3) if rectal temperatures were 38°C instead of the observed average of 33.9°C for mass-independent BMR and 32.5 for mass-independent PMR. Dashed horizontal lines represent predicted values for eutherian mammals of similar size (mean 4.2 kg) according to Lovegrove (2000) for mass-independent BMR and Taylor et al. (1981) for mass-independent PMR.

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