Differences in resting metabolic rates of two southern African tortoises: Psammobates oculiferus and Geochelone pardalis

Abstract

Energy metabolism varies considerably between different groups of endotherms, yet there is little or no reported variation among extant groups of reptiles. We measured lower resting metabolic rates (RMRs) in Kalahari tent tortoises (Psammobates oculiferus) than in sympatric Leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis). G. pardalis also had RMR values that were higher than the allometric prediction for reptiles whereas P. oculiferus had RMR values that were not significantly different from the prediction. Differences in RMR between the two species may have occurred because of the large differences in body mass, differing body temperatures, differences in growth rates, or because there may have been differences in the heat increment of feeding.