Meeting Abstract

58.4  Saturday, Jan. 5  Hibernation and daily torpor in an armadillo, the pichi (Zaedyus pichiy) SUPERINA, M.; BOILY, P.*; University of New Orleans; Western Connecticut Sate University boilyp@wcsu.edu

Hibernation and daily torpor are physiological strategies to cope with energetic challenges that occur in many mammalian and avian taxa, but no reliable information currently exists about daily torpor or hibernation for any Xenarthran. Our objective was to determine whether the pichi (Zaedyus pichiy), a small armadillo (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae) that inhabits arid and semi-arid habitats in central and southern Argentina and Chile, enters shallow daily torpor or prolonged deep hibernation during winter when environmental temperature and food availability are low. We studied body temperature changes during winter in semi-captive pichis by means of subcutaneous temperature dataloggers. All individuals entered hibernation, characterized by torpor events of 75±20hr during which the subcutaneous temperature (Tsc) decreased to 14.6±2.1°C. These events were interrupted by periods of euthermia of 44±38hr with a Tsc of 29.1±0.7°C. After the hibernation season, daily torpor bouts of 4 to 6hrs occurred irregularly, with Tsc dropping to as low as 24.5°C. We conclude that the pichi is a true hibernator and can enter daily torpor outside of the hibernation season.