NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in the Journal of Thermal Biology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in the Journal of Thermal Biology, Vol. 29 (2004), DOI 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2004.05.003 1 Patterns of body temperature variation and torpor in the numbat, Myrmecobius 2 fasciatus (Marsupialia: Myrmecobiidae). 3 4 Cooper, C.E. and Withers, P.C.* 5 6 Zoology, School of Animal Biology M092 7 University of Western Australia 8 Stirling Highway 9 Crawley 6009 Western Australia 10 e-mail
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[email protected] 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 *Corresponding Author: 28 Professor Philip Withers 29 Zoology, School of Animal Biology M092 30 University of Western Australia 31 Crawley WA 6009 Western Australia 32 Ph +61 8 6488 2235 33 Fax +61 8 6488 1029 34 E-mail
[email protected] 35 Abstract 36 1. Body temperature (Tb) radio-telemetric data for the diurnal numbat indicated a strong 37 nychthemeral rhythm, being higher during the day. 2. Mean daily Tb was 34.4 ºC, but was 38 higher in spring and summer than winter. 3. All three numbats showed spontaneous, 39 shallow daily torpor; minimum torpor Tb was 19.1 ºC, and maximum torpor duration was 40 15.3 h.