Water balance and thermoneutrality in the grasshopper mouse (<i>Onychomys leucogaster)</i>

TitleWater balance and thermoneutrality in the grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster)
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication1966
AuthorsConley MR
Date Published<i>1966</i>
University<i>New Mexico University</i>
City<i>Las Cruces, New Mexico</i>
Thesis Type<i>M.S. Thesis</i>
Call Number<i>00036</i>
Keywordsdissertation, dissertations, Onychomys,physiology, physiology,Onychomys, rodent, grasshopper mouse,Onychomys, rodent,Onychomys, theses, thesis
AbstractWater balance and thermoneutrality were studied in the grasshopper mouse Onychomys leucogaster. The thermoneutral zone included ambient temperatures ranging from 28 degrees C - 35 degrees C. The upper critical temperature was near 37 degrees C. The mean minimum rate of matabolism was 1.582cc 02/gm./hr. at 10 degrees C. The minimum value of evaporative water loss wa 13 mg. H2O/gm./hr. at 25 degrees C; the mean maximum value was 41.7 mg./gm./hr. at 37 degrees C....Under conditions of total deprivation of water, grasshopper mice maintained weight on a beef liver diet, but weight losses occured on a ground beef diet. The mice lost 12.5% of their body weight when fed ground beef and stabilized at this point. Behavioral adaptations are probably of greater importance than physiological ones in permitting the grasshopper mice to inhabit the desert.