Journal article
Evaporative water loss from the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis: The relative importance of respiratory and cutaneous components and the regulatory role of the skin
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Comparative physiology, v 67(3), pp 439-446
1980
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Abstract
Abstract
o
1.
We measured evaporative water loss from alligators,
Alligator mississippiensis, (2.5–6.6 kg) at four air temperatures (5, 15, 25, 35°C). Rates of evaporative water loss increased with increasing temperature and decreased with body size.
2.
Mean respiratory water loss was 0.018 mg g
−1 hr
−1 at 5°C and 0.116 mg g
−1 hr
−1 at 35°C. Cutaneous water loss was 0.010 mg g
−1 hr
−1 at 5°C and 0.137 mg g
−1 hr
−1 at 35°C. The ratio of respiratory to cutaneous water loss was 1.80 at 5°C, 1.55 at 15°C 1.18 at 25°C and 0.85 at 35°C.
3.
Using plaster replicas of each experimental animal we determined boundary layer resistance and then measured water loss and computed skin resistance of real alligators tested in a wind tunnel at 200 cm sec
−1.
4.
Skin resistance values were inversely related to water loss. Mean skin resistance obtained for the alligator (
r
i=54.7 sec cm
−1) falls within the range reported for other reptiles.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Evaporative water loss from the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis: The relative importance of respiratory and cutaneous components and the regulatory role of the skin
- Creators
- John E. Davis - Buffalo State UniversityJames R. Spotila - Buffalo State UniversityWilliam C. Schefler - Buffalo State University
- Publication Details
- Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Comparative physiology, v 67(3), pp 439-446
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES); [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:A1980KN40100019
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-0009773320
- Other Identifier
- 991021013052804721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Physiology
- Zoology