Muscle Temperature and Swim Velocity Profiles During Diving in a Weddell Seal, Leptonychotes Weddellii

Locomotory muscle temperature and swim velocity profiles of an adult Weddell seal were recorded over a 21h period. The highest temperatures occurred during a prolonged surface period (mean 37.3°C, S.D. 0.16°C). Muscle temperature averaged 36.8 and 36.6°C (S.D. 0.25°C, 0.19°C) during two dive bouts and showed no consistent fluctuations between dive and interdive surface intervals. Swim velocities were also constant, near 1.3 ms−1. These data indicate that past records of low aortic temperatures (35°C) during and after prolonged dives are not indicative of whole-body temperature changes, and that muscle temperature, even during dives as long as 45min, remains near 37°C.