Abstract: In order to explore the physiological adaptation characteristics of Eothenomys olitor in Zhaotong area, body temperature, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and thermal conductance (C) were measured in the range of 5℃-30℃ in summer and winter, respectively. The results showed that there were seasonal differences in body temperature, RMR and C value in E. olitor. Body temperature in summer was higher than that in winter, and the average body temperature was 36.17℃±0.52℃ and 35.55℃±0.46℃, respectively. The thermal neutral zone (TNZ) showed seasonal differences. TNZ was 20℃-27.5℃ in summer and 15℃-25℃ in winter respectively, which showed that the lower limit critical point in winter was lower than that in summer. In TNZ, RMR in summer (2.76±0.19) mL O2/(g·h) was lower than that in winter (4.78±0.22) mL O2/(g·h). In summer and winter, C value in E. olitor was stable in TNZ, and the mean values were （0.18±0.02） and （0.31±0.04）mL O2/(g·h·℃), respectively. The above results suggested E. olitor adapted to the climate characteristics of Zhaotong area, which were large temperature difference between winter and summer and low annual extreme temperature by regulating body temperature, RMR and C value.

Key words: Eothenomys olitor, thermal neutral zone, thermoregulation, resting metabolic rate, thermal conductance