Physiology
Though it does not enter torpor, E. wahlbergi is heterothermic, lowering its core body temperature while roosting. In winter, this heterothermy is more pronounced. Portions of the geographic range of E. wahlbergi incur the largest seasonal temperature variations of the entire Afrotropical region. Metabolic rates increase up to 30% during the winter as compared to summer, allowing individuals to overcome heat loss in lower ambient temperatures. Body mass also increases in winter. An individual's thermoneutral zone may also be broader in the winter than in the summer, allowing a greater temperature tolerance and thus decreasing energy expenditure typically used to compensate for minor changes in core body temperature. In times of heat stress, excessive salivation, wing fanning, body licking, and panting help to lower body temperature. Some individuals are intolerant of extreme heat and die at temperatures greater than 40°C (104°F).
Read more about this topic: Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat
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