Heterothermy in the southern African hedgehog, Atelerix frontalis

• DOI: 10.1007/s00360-010-0531-5
• Publication Date: 2010-11-16T06:15:56Z
• Authors: Stacey L. Hallam; Nomakwezi Mzilikazi
• Keywords: Torpor; Hibernation

Most research on mammalian heterothermic responses in southern Africa tends to be laboratory based and biased towards rodents and smaller members of the Afrotheria. In this study, we continuously measured body temperature of southern African hedgehogs (Atelerix frontalis) between April and August 2009 (-10°C < T (a) < 43°C), kept under semi-captive conditions. A. frontalis showed a high propensity for torpor with animals spending up to 84% of the measurement period torpid. During this study, A. frontalis displayed the lowest T (b min) (ca 1°C) yet recorded in an Afrotropical placental heterotherm. Bout lengths of between 0.7 h (40 min) and 116.3 h (4.8 days) were recorded. Differences in bout length were observed between lighter individuals compared with an individual exhibiting a higher body mass at the onset of winter, with low M (b) individuals exhibiting daily torpor whereas a heavier individual exhibited torpor bouts that were indicative of hibernation. Our results suggest that heterothermic responses are an important feature in the energy balance equation of this species and that body mass at the onset of winter may determine the patterns of heterothermy utilised in this species.