Thermoregulation in the mouths of feeding gray whales

Science

Volumn 278, Issue 5340, 1997, Pages 1138-1139

  Heyning, John E ^a   Mead, James G ^b  

^a NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY   (United States)

^b DEPARTMENT OF PALEOBIOLOGY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; BODY TEMPERATURE; ENDOTHELIUM CELL; HEAT LOSS; NONHUMAN; PRIORITY JOURNAL; THERMOREGULATION; WHALE;

ADIPOSE TISSUE; ANIMALS; BODY TEMPERATURE; BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATION; REGIONAL BLOOD FLOW; TEMPERATURE; TONGUE; WHALES;

EID: 0030689740     PISSN: 00368075     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1126/science.278.5340.1138     Document Type: Article

References (20)

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5. S. A. Rommel, D. A. Pabst, W. A. McLellan, J. G. Mead, C. W. Potter, Anat. Rec. 232, 150 (1992); S. A. Rommel, D. A. Pabst, W. A. McLellan, ibid. 237, 537 (1993).
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11. We measured the temperature of the tongue of a live, healthy, unrestrained gray whale calf. The first temperature measurements were made when the calf was about 4 months old in ambient water temperature of 19.5°C. The second series of measurements was taken when the calf was about 8 months old in 12.5°C water. Temperature measurements were taken with a Raynger PM model PM3l3tru remote thermal sensor held approximately 20 cm from the target. Measurements were made when the whale calf lifted its head out of the water at the beginning and end of a feeding session. Each recording was based on several measurements made over a period of several seconds. In every case, the measurement was recorded after most of the water had dripped off and only a thin sheen of water remained on the tongue's surface. The temperature of the neck region did not change from the initial reading until at least 1 min of exposure to the air, which suggests that any biases from measuring the wet skin are minor and should apply equally to all measurements.
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19. It might seem incredible that such a large and complex vascular structure would have escaped the notice of previous workers. However, these vascular units are composed primarily of numerous small, thin-walled veins that easily collapse when the large flaccid tongue is being dissected. During most dissections, the entire heat exchanger is rather cryptic, resembling blood-invested fascia, which are plentiful within the head of a dead baleen whale.
20. We thank the staff of Sea World of California for logistical support in obtaining temperature measurements from a gray whale under their care. S. Rommel and I. Girard provided useful criticisms that improved this manuscript. The research of J.E.H. was supported by the Taylor Life Sciences Fund.