title: A decrease in heat insulation of the black-clawed brush-furred rat (Lophuromys melanonyx, Petter) during adaptation to high altitudes.
abstract: The results of the body-surface infrared thermography of rodents of the genus Lophuromys suggest that heat insulation of the black-clawed brush-furred rat L. melanonyx, a large specialized species of the AfroAlpine zone, is worse than that of the related smaller species, the golden-footed (L. chrysopus) and shorttailed (L. brevicaudus) brush-furred rats, that inhabit tropical forest and Erica shrub, respectively. A decrease in heat insulation of the alpine species may facilitate the use of solar radiation for supporting heat balance of these diurnal animals.
authors.affiliation: Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia. yuvertb@sevin.ru.
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ivlev
authors.affiliation: Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lavrenchenko
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009115:Muridae / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013472:Sunlight