title: Sociality in molerats : Metabolic scaling and the role of risk sensitivity.
abstract: The foraging behaviour and diets of the various bathyergid molerat species are reviewed briefly, and inferences are drawn concerning their dietary specialisation. A simple model has been constructed which investigates the risks of unproductive foraging by specialist feeders as a function of resource dispersion characteristics and group size. The model suggests that the principal benefit of group foraging is a reduction in foraging risk, rather than increased resource procurement per se. Meeting the energetic costs of non-workers in social groups necessitates a reduction of the total energetic expenditure of the colony. This is achieved by reducing body size, huddling in the nest, and scaling mass-specific resting metabolic rate virtually independent of mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Lovegrove
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich biologie, Philipps-Universität, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, D-3550, Marburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wissel
keywords: Foraging behaviour; Resting metabolic rate; Risk-sensitive behaviour; Sociality; Subterranean rodents