Heating and Cooling Rates of the American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
American alligators of both sexes ranging in weight from 0.60 to 7.64 kg were heated from 15 to 35 C and cooled from 35 to 15 C in air (300 cm/s air flow) and water. Under all conditions the heating rate exceeded the cooling rate. The difference between heating and cooling rates increased with increasing body weight. Heating and cooling rates in water exceeded heating and cooling rates in air. The thermal time constant (τ) was used as a more meaningful measure of thermal response. Heart rate during warming exceeded heart rate during cooling for any given body temperatures. Cardiovascular adjustments were implicated as important in physiological thermoregulation of the alligator.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: