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The social Matabeleland mole‐rat Cryptomys hottentotus nimrodi occurs in both the high‐and lowveld of Zimbabwe. The population in the highveld has a mean (± S. D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when acclimated for three months in the laboratory of 0.83 ± 0.04cm³ O₂ g^‐l h^‐l (n=12) within the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) of 31‐32°.

The body temperature (T_b) within the thermoneutral zone is low 34.4 ± 0.18 (n= 12) and remains stable at ambient temperatures (T_a s) from 25‐32°. Above 32°, T_b increases albeit slightly to 36.6 ± 1.46° (n= 12). The conductance is high 0.17 0.02cm³ O₂ g^‐1 h^‐°^‐1 (n= 24) at the lower limit of thermoneutrality. The mean RMR at 18° (the lowest T_a tested) was 2.29 ± 0.11 cm³ O₂ g^‐1 h^‐1, which is 2.75 times that of the RMR in the TNZ.

The population in the lowveld has a mean (± S.D.) resting metabolic rate (RMR) when acclimated for three months in the laboratory of 0.95 ± 0.07 cm³ O₂ g …