Hibernation and daily torpor in an armadillo, the pichi (Zaedyus pichiy).

SUPERINA, M.; BOILY, P.

San Antonio, Texas, EEUU

Congreso; Annual meeting of the Society for integrative and comparative biology; 2008

Society for integrative and comparative biology

Hibernation and daily torpor are physiological strategies to cope with energetic challenges that occurin many mammalian and avian taxa, but no reliable information currently exists about daily torpor orhibernation for any Xenarthran. Our objective was to determine whether the pichi (Zaedyus pichiy), asmall armadillo (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae) that inhabits arid and semi-arid habitats in central andsouthern Argentina and Chile, enters shallow daily torpor or prolonged deep hibernation during winterwhen environmental temperature and food availability are low. We studied body temperature changesduring winter in semi-captive pichis by means of subcutaneous temperature dataloggers. Allindividuals entered hibernation, characterized by torpor events of 75±20hr during which thesubcutaneous temperature (Tsc) decreased to 14.6±2.1°C. These events were interrupted by periodsof euthermia of 44±38hr with a Tsc of 29.1±0.7°C. After the hibernation season, daily torpor bouts of4 to 6hrs occurred irregularly, with Tsc dropping to as low as 24.5°C. We conclude that the pichi is atrue hibernator and can enter daily torpor outside of the hibernation season.