Oxygen Capacity in Mammals

Abstract

Oxygen capacity detns. on blood of various mammals were made using the Roughton-Scholander syringe method as modified by Grant. Mean wts. and volumes % O2 capacity, respectively, were: 3 Rattus norvegicus, < 50 g. and 6.7. vol. %; 12 R. norvegicus, < 200 g. and 11.3 vol. %; 8 R. norvegicus, > 200 g. and 18.1 vol. %; 3 Peromyscus gossypinus, 39 g. and 19.3 vol. %; 3 Neotoma floridana, 209 g. and 17.5 vol. %; 7 Cricetus auratus, 120 g. and 15.6 vol. %; 7 Myotis austroriparius, 5.2 g. and 21 vol. %. Taxonomically, there is no relationship in the different orders and families of mammals in which the O2 capacity of the blood has been reported. Large animals do not tend to possess a greater O2 capacity than small ones, nor is the O2 capacity of the blood consistent with the size of the sp. There is a great difference in the O2 capacity of different diving mammals. Results reported in the literature and data from this investigation indicate that the O2 capacity of blood of mammals varies with the sp.