Heart rate during overnight rest and while diving were recorded from five emperor penguins with a microprocessor-controlled submersible recorder. Heart rate, cardiac output and stroke volume were also measured in two resting emperor penguins using standard electrocardiography and thermodilution measurements. Swim velocities from eight birds were obtained with the submersible recorder. The resting average of the mean heart rates was 72 beats min-1. Diving heart rates were about 15% lower than resting rates. Cardiac outputs of 1.9-2.9 ml kg-1 s-1 and stroke volumes of 1.6-2.7 ml kg-1 were similar to values recorded from mammals of the same body mass. Swim velocities averaged 3 m s-1. The swim speeds and heart rates suggest that muscle O2 depletion must occur frequently: therefore, many dives require a significant energy contribution from anaerobic glycolysis.
JOURNAL ARTICLE|
01 April 1992
Heart rates and swim speeds of emperor penguins diving under sea ice
G. L. Kooyman
,
G. L. Kooyman
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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P. J. Ponganis
,
P. J. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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M. A. Castellini
,
M. A. Castellini
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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E. P. Ponganis
,
E. P. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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K. V. Ponganis
,
K. V. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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P. H. Thorson
,
P. H. Thorson
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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S. A. Eckert
,
S. A. Eckert
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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Y. LeMaho
Y. LeMaho
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
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G. L. Kooyman
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
P. J. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
M. A. Castellini
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
E. P. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
K. V. Ponganis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
P. H. Thorson
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
S. A. Eckert
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
Y. LeMaho
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
Online Issn: 1477-9145
Print Issn: 0022-0949
© 1992 by Company of Biologists
1992
J Exp Biol (1992) 165 (1): 161–180.
Citation
G. L. Kooyman, P. J. Ponganis, M. A. Castellini, E. P. Ponganis, K. V. Ponganis, P. H. Thorson, S. A. Eckert, Y. LeMaho; Heart rates and swim speeds of emperor penguins diving under sea ice. J Exp Biol 1 April 1992; 165 (1): 161–180. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.165.1.161
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