Precision of Thermoregulation and Its Relation to Environmental Factors in the Desert Iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Precision of Thermoregulation and Its Relation to Environmental Factors in the Desert Iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis
复制标题
DOI：
10.1086/physzool.40.1.30152438
复制
发表时间：
1967-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
C. DeWitt
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
C. DeWitt
摘要1.沙漠鬣蜥通过在人工和自然的温度梯度中适当地调整它们的位置来控制它们的体温。2.优选的体温水平（定义为体温分布的中值）为38.5 ℃。3.沙漠鬣蜥的体温调节是相当精确的，中心50%、68%和95%的体温分别在37.0-39.5、36.1-40.1和33.2-41.8 ℃之间。4.沙漠鬣蜥的体温分布呈负倾斜。这可能反映了蜥蜴采用的温度传感系统的特性。在分析体温偏好时，通常的正常假设和排除低体温记录的惯例都是不完全合理的。5.在某些实验条件下，头部和躯干的温度可能相差几度;但在自然条件下，这些温度相差不超过一度。6.在夏季的沙漠条件下，沙漠鬣蜥通过允许体温上升到高于首选水平的42 ℃或更高来延长其活动期。7.在领土争斗行为和捕食者存在时，允许体温升高到远高于首选水平，但在进食和求偶期间通常不允许这样做。
SUMMARY 1. Desert iguanas exercise control over their body temperature by appropriate adjustment of their position in artificial and natural thermal gradients. 2. The preferred level of body tem- perature, which is defined as the median of the body-temperature distribution, is 38.5 C. 3. Thermoregulation in desert iguanas is fairly precise with the central 50, 68, and 95% of the body temperatures rang- ing between 37.0-39.5, 36.1-40.1, and 33.2-41.8 C, respectively. 4. The body-temperature distribution for desert iguanas is negatively skewed. This may reflect a characteristic of the system for temperature sensing employed by lizards. In analysis of body-tempera- ture preferences, neither the usual as- sumption of normality nor the common practice of casting off records of low body temperatures is wholly justified. 5. Under certain experimental condi- tions, temperatures of the head and trunk may differ by several degrees; but under natural conditions, these tempera- tures do not differ by more than a degree. 6. Under desert conditions during summer, desert iguanas prolong their activity period by permitting body tem- peratures to rise above the preferred level to 42 C and higher. 7. Body temperatures are permitted to rise well above the preferred level during territorial fighting behavior and in the presence of predators but generally are not permitted to do this during feed- ing and courtship.