Muscle temperature and swim velocity profiles during diving in a Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii.
Locomotory muscle temperature and swim velocity profiles of an adult Weddell seal were recorded over a 21 h period. The highest temperatures occurred during a prolonged surface period (mean 37.3 degrees C, S.D. 0.16 degrees C). Muscle temperature averaged 36.8 and 36.6 degrees C (S.D. 0.25 degrees C, 0.19 degrees C) during two dive bouts and showed no consistent fluctuations between dive and interdive surface intervals. Swim velocities were also constant, near 1.3 m s-1. These data indicate that past records of low aortic temperatures (35 degrees C) during and after prolonged dives are not indicative of whole-body temperature changes, and that muscle temperature, even during dives as long as 45 min, remains near 37 degrees C.
Ponganis
P J
PJ
Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
Kooyman
G L
GL
Castellini
M A
MA
Ponganis
E P
EP
Ponganis
K V
KV
D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*