Thermoregulation and metabolism in the Cape golden mole (Insectivora: Chrysochloris asiatica)

The Cape golden mole, Chrysochloris asiatica is an insectivore which excavates superficial foraging burrows as it searches for its food. It has a mean (±S.D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when newly captured of 1–17±0.17 cm3 O2g‐1 h‐1 (n= 14), within the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) of 30–32°C. The body temperature (Tb) of the mole in the TNZ is low 32.9 ± 0.36 (n= 14) and remains stable at ambient temperatures (Tas) from 28–32°C. Above 32°C (range 34–37°C), Tb increases albeit slightly to 36 ± 1.75°C (n= 14). The conductance is high 0.27 ± 006cm3 O2g‐1 h‐l°C‐1 (n= 46) at the lower limit of thermoneutrality. The mean RMR at 9°C (the lowest Ta tested) was 4.82±11 cm3 O2g‐1h‐1, which is 4.1 times that of the RMR in the TNZ. At an ambient temperature of 9°C, three of the golden moles entered a state of torpor where the RMR was reduced from 5.9±0.56 to 10 1.0 ± 0.69cm3O2g‐1h‐1.