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Show Thermoregulation in the American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Faisal Ahmed, Craig R. Jones, Mark Chi Ikon, (Colleen G. Farmer\ Department of Biology, University of Utah Background M trans, in othe* wsrcfc thevare-not esti^rting or h iber nai ing but lemain al^rt and acilve dun ncj ttase-perrods. Forraamplg. son-* species of pythons are known to Fast for 16 rnonth* between rnesls Beiween FaMsmsnyoF these jmrnah^^n^ume extremely large mea ^. morel han I^C^b of their own mas?, rt is h?rd for us ewn to irnagine consuming such a me?l A1501 b h u man wsuW need to eat ?1 one stti ng 225 Ihs of Food i lncontrwt.endothermic?nim?lsPH"it srnnl I bu1 fr^n uent meah. The regu'^iony responses to Feedir^ nind fnsting arerorre&Fondinggient in Ktotherms cornered to encbiherms:thusertotherms?ip veiy us^Ful rnod els for M ucT^s of the regulatory phpiology or" metabolism and ^fi^rgy hal^nre-. Our study aimed to unc*er&tdnd t*x*v tefnper?1 u re regul?1 en under Fast" ng ?nd fed ¦!p?o?tpr-nndi^ll condrtion? in an «to1 herm k v^iebrate, the American alligator fAlhg?torrTii&si?SJppren?i5l. Like python^ ?Nrgator& naturally und^r^? rang period? of fast large rneals We hypothesiEed thnt during the F?st the animals wsuld^hc^sej cool body rate- a nd thus save energy. Ey s^IkI ing a warm bwklng area aher Feeding th^ animals n-my oe Hiolp to sp^1^ thp iat€ of dnjestion oF these large meals Ir" preferred body ternpeiature in ihe fasilng and in the postprandial sta1eH we will then be able to wekto pomt foi oody tern perni urp fa g . leptin. ga&11 m Core body temperature? -IT^l were obtained r"rorn 10 lu^nile Female ArnerVan all qator^uXIhgrTtor rni5jj?5ippiensi5l in size from 2.i1oi I kg Theallirj^iorsv^erehouwdinagreenhouwat a n ?ir lem perature of appro^l . They were *rarjed In 1v^ tanks. 12 % 2 A m m size- (e^fil. v^l h a bridge ^onnertinrj the tank I Fig ure 11. In one tnnk fresh v^ater conMantfy fk^wed 1 h rough the lank n nd n-mint?lned the 1em Fflraturelniheranrjeof 1? 1^ X The oi her tank was dry and h^henilamp^ at one end providing both ^ool'^ndv^rrn Asking areas ranging C The alligaior? v^ere Free 1o rnovt ?t>?u11 hpw therrnal Temperature data loggers Hbutton 1 hermoc hron?. [^2^22. Mmim O?llas Semiconductor^ were Tc. The lemperature censors h*d a range of *40t^*eSt and were accurate 1o ±0.^'C Each logger was Man m diameter and 1 ^m thkk. The d?1a k^jjers wpre prograrnmed to rerord 1 he terppeiatuie onr^ ever? ten nrinutes u ni il 1 he buKei was FuH which occurred ?fter 2CHS Mmp^s were obtained H.2 d?vs?fter prog r^rnmirq The Jata loggers were Inserted oral lv into 1 he Mornach. At the end oF 1 he experirpent?! period the data loggers were retrieved by g^strir Image Figure I- ^hernatic oF 1 he experirnent?! set up T\iu tanks were connected by a pass^jeway. One t?n+; h^d watei the lank and 17 C The other tank was dry. Heat l^rnpsv^eraattKhed to one end and dry while 1 he opposite end pro^rded ? ^ool d" v hnskmg ?rea. body temperatures v^ere recorded over a period oF one week at the end of ? one month Fast and du i ing a subsequent perVxJ of Feedlrq During the period or" Feeding the animals were Fed ad lib a diet or" mirp weighing appo^irnatelv 2^gms For 5 o^nserutlve days. Ea^h alhgatoi ate Frorn 2 ^ mi^e per d?v Only the Inrst i iiys of the fasting period and oF the Feeding period were selected for ana Ivsjs, - *¦ Jones Coflwn G to rmer |