title: Assessment of body surface temperature in cetaceans: an iterative approach.
abstract: Heat transfer from skin surface to ambient water is probably the most important aspect of thermal balance in marine mammals, but the respective calculations depend on knowing the surface temperature (Ts), the direct measurement of which in free animals is very difficult. An indirect iterative method is proposed for Ts prediction in free cetaceans from deep body temperature, swimming speed, and temperature and thermodynamic properties of the water.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista, CEP 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. rgomes@fcav.unesp.br
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002591:Cetacea / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water