Yearlong hibernation in a marsupial mammal |
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Authors: | Fritz Geiser |
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Institution: | (1) Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, 2351, Australia |
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Abstract: | Many mammals hibernate each year for about 6 months in autumn and winter and reproduce during spring and summer when they
are generally not in torpor. I tested the hypothesis that the marsupial pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus), an opportunistic nonseasonal hibernator with a capacity for substantial fattening, would continue to hibernate well beyond
winter. I also quantified how long they were able to hibernate without access to food before their body fat stores were depleted.
Pygmy-possums exhibited a prolonged hibernation season lasting on average for 310 days. The longest hibernation season in
one individual lasted for 367 days. For much of this time, despite periodic arousals after torpor bouts of ∼12.5 days, energy
expenditure was reduced to only ∼2.5% of that predicted for active individuals. These observations represent the first report
on body-fat-fuelled hibernation of up to an entire year and provide new evidence that prolonged hibernation is not restricted
to placental mammals living in the cold. |
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Keywords: | Australian mammal Energy expenditure Fat storage Prolonged hibernation Unpredictable climate |
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