Bioenergetics and intestinal phenotypic flexibility in the microbiotherid marsupial (Dromiciops gliroides) from the temperate forest in South America
Author
dc.contributor.author
Cortés, Pablo A.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Franco, Marcela
Author
dc.contributor.author
Sabat Kirkwood, Alejandro Pablo
Author
dc.contributor.author
Quijano, Silvia A.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Nespolo, Roberto F.
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2019-01-29T15:36:39Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2019-01-29T15:36:39Z
Publication date
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2011
Cita de ítem
dc.identifier.citation
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - A Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Volumen 160, Issue 2, 2018, Pages 117-124
Identifier
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10956433
Identifier
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15314332
Identifier
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10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.05.014
Identifier
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https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/161803
Abstract
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The microbiotherid marsupial Dromiciops gliroides inhabits the temperate forests of the Southern hemisphere, facing seasonal nutritional and energetic bottlenecks due to its apparently facultative insectivory/frugivory. In order to understand the physiological processes behind this ecological pattern, we studied the morpho-physiological changes that D. gliroides exhibits after dietary acclimation, in a sample of 21 wild-caught individuals fed over 1month with ad libitum diet of: (1) fruit, (2) insects or (3) a mix of insects and fruit. In addition, we measured oxygen consumption (VO 2) at resting conditions. We also performed enzyme assays (sucrase, maltase, trehalase and aminopeptidase N) and measurements of organ morphology. We found that D. gliroides cannot fulfil its nutrient requirements only from insects or fruit. It needs a mixed diet in order to maintain its body mass and energy balance. However, as a response of diet acclimation, individuals showed several-fold changes in the