Abstract
We explore the physiological constraints of body temperature as related to body mass and ambient temperature during flight in endothermic dung beetles showing a mass-related breakpoint where species show strong vs. weak endothermy. We found two different strategies in the dung beetles prior to flight; larger beetles (>1.9 g) elevate and maintain their body temperature ( T b) at levels well above ambient temperature ( T a) whereas smaller beetles’ (<1.9 g) T b tends to conform with T a. Physiological constraints analysis revealed a constant maximum tolerated temperature (in flight) of 42 °C and a minimum temperature for flight of around 25 °C. These, with body mass, may play a role in thermal niche partitioning and geographical distribution patterns.
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