Body Temperatures in Some Australian Mammals II.Peramelidae

Abstract

Body temperature measurements on the short-nosed bandicoot (Thylacis obesulus) have shown a nocturnal cycle with a range of 1.2[degree]C and a short active phase at 2200-0400 hr. The bilby or rabbit bandicoot (Macrotis lagotis) had a sharply defined temperature cycle, with a range of almost 3[degree]C after several months of captivity, during which the day-time resting temperature was progressively lowered from 36.4 to 34.2[degree]C. Forced activity raised the diurnal temperature substantially but not to the nocturnal level. Forced activity did not raise the nocturnal level which was similar in the 2 species (37.0[degree]C). Both species could regulate effectively at an ambient temperature of 5[degree]C, but only Thylacis showed regulation at ambient temperatures of between 30 and 40[degree]C.