| Grooming secretions and seasonal adaptations in the blind mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi). | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 8840931 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The postulated thermoregulatory function of grooming in the "blind" mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi), a solitary, highly aggressive subterranean rodent, was tested by subjecting individuals to extreme hot and cold environments and measuring their grooming frequency and thermoregulatory capacity. It was found that exposure to heat stress during both the winter and the summer failed to elicit grooming in isolated mole rats, even though their body temperature was significantly elevated. Thus, unlike Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), mole rats do not seem to have a mechanism for lowering body temperature by grooming. However, at low temperatures, grooming behavior significantly increased during both seasons, although a decline in body temperature was recorded only during the summer. Because grooming in mole rats expresses Harderian lipids onto the fur, it is suggested that in the winter, under cold stress, this behavior might prevent a drop in body temperature through spreading insulating Harderian lipids. |
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Authors:
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U Shanas; J Terkel |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Physiology & behavior Volume: 60 ISSN: 0031-9384 ISO Abbreviation: Physiol. Behav. Publication Date: 1996 Aug |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 1997-01-17 Completed Date: 1997-01-17 Revised Date: 2008-11-21 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0151504 Medline TA: Physiol Behav Country: UNITED STATES |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 653-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel. |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Adaptation, Physiological
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physiology* Animals Body Temperature Regulation / physiology* Cold Temperature Grooming / physiology* Harderian Gland / physiology* Hot Temperature Rodentia / physiology* Seasons* Stress, Physiological / physiopathology |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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