Referência:
Gienger, C.M. & Tracy, Christopher & Brien, Matthew & Manolis, Charlie & Webb, Grahame & Seymour, Roger & Christian, Keith. Energetic costs of digestion in Australian crocodiles. Australian Journal of Zoology, 2011. doi: 59. 416. 10.1071/ZO12018.
Resumo:
We measured standard metabolic rate (SMR) and the metabolic response to feeding in the Australian crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus and C. johnsoni. Both species exhibit a response that is characterised by rapidly increasing metabolism that peaks within 24h of feeding, a postfeeding metabolic peak (peak V?O2) of 1.4-2.0 times SMR, and a return to baseline metabolism within 3-4 days after feeding. Postfeeding metabolism does not significantly differ between species, and crocodiles fed intact meals have higher total digestive costs (specific dynamic action; SDA) than those fed homogenised meals. Across a more than 100-fold range of body size (0.190 to 25.96kg body mass), SMR, peak V?O2, and SDA all scale with body mass to an exponent of 0.85. Hatchling (≤1 year old) C. porosus have unexpectedly high rates of resting metabolism, and this likely reflects the substantial energetic demands that accompany the rapid growth of young crocodilians.
Palavras-chave: gasto energético, digestão, silvestres, selvagens