Body size and metabolic rate in the laboratory rat.
When the basal metabolic rates of living beings from different species are compared, a relationship between metabolic rate (M) and body size (S) can be identified as follows: M = a Sb, where b is close to 3/4. The present study investigated whether the same relationship applies within a species. In the laboratory rat, Rattus norvegicus, it was found that b can vary considerably from one sample of animals to another. The value of b was also affected by the activity level of the animals, but not by moderate cold exposure. The best estimate for the basal intraspecific b in the rat may be closer to 2/3 than to 3/4, but the variability of the experimental data prevent a definite conclusion at this point. Further research is necessary to explain the variability between different samples of rats.
Refinetti
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Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820.
D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D001824:Body Constitution; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats / Q000378:metabolism*