Flexible patterns in energy savings: heterothermy in primates

摘要: Heterothermy is an energy-saving strategy usually employed in response to environmental bottlenecks, which common almost all mammalian orders. Within the order primates, heterothermy has been physiologically confirmed only family Cheirogaleidae (Cheirogaleus, Microcebus, Allocebus, Mirza) of Malagasy lemurs, and southern lesser bushbaby (Galago moholi) Galagonidae. These closely related species employ a spectrum daily torpor, prolonged torpor obligate hibernation under tropical, but nevertheless seasonal energetically demanding conditions. There remarkable physiological flexibility regard their thermoregulatory adaptations not between same genera within one habitat, also populations species, even individual, permitting immediate responses unpredictable environments, possibly aiding these master challenges globally changing climatic Whereas flexible, regular Cheirogaleidae, it used as last emergency G. moholi. In other primate there either no or anecdotal evidence minor reductions metabolic rate, presumably rather reflecting pronounced circadian cycles body temperature, local heterothermy. Maybe because relatively high degree sociality larger sizes, behavioural ecological seasonality are selected for primates.