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Diving behaviour, dive cycles and aerobic dive limit in the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 14:40 authored by Bethge, P, Sarah MunksSarah Munks, Otley, HM, Stewart NicolStewart Nicol
We investigated the diving behaviour, the time allocation of the dive cycle and the behavioural aerobic dive limit (ADL) of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) living at a sub-alpine Tasmanian lake. Individual platypuses were equipped with combined data logger-transmitter packages measuring dive depth. Mean dive duration was 31.3 s with 72% of all dives lasting between 18 and 40 s. Mean surface duration was 10.1 s. Mean dive depth was 1.28 m with a maximum of 8.77 m. Platypuses performed up to 1600 dives per foraging trip with a mean of 75 dives per hour. ADL was estimated by consideration of post-dive surface intervals vs. dive durations. Only 15% of all dives were found to exceed the estimated ADL of 40 s, indicating mainly aerobic diving in the species. Foraging platypuses followed a model of optimised recovery time, the optimal breathing theory. Total bottom duration or total foraging duration per day is proposed as a useful indicator of foraging efficiency and hence habitat quality in the species. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

History

Publication title

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A

Volume

136

Issue

4

Pagination

799-809

ISSN

1095-6433

Department/School

Tasmanian School of Medicine

Publisher

Elsevier Science

Place of publication

New York

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences

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