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The Elytral Management of Near-Infrared Radiation Enhances Body Heat in a Dung Beetle Species without Energetic Cost

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ), alongside measurements of the solar radiation spectrum in the environmental conditions where this species is typically found. To assess thermal responses, both elytra and specimens-either dried or freshly killed-were exposed to radiation sources of different wavelengths. These responses were compared with the reflectance, transmittance, and absorbance values obtained through spectrophotometric analyses of the elytra, spanning the 200-1,700 nm range. The results clearly show that near-infrared radiation alone can raise internal body temperature. This effect is mainly a result of the absorption of near-infrared radiation by the exoskeleton and the subsequent transmission of energy as heat. Exposure to an 850-nm radiation source increased the internal temperature of freshly killed specimens to 26.5°C, at rates comparable to those under yellow or red visible light and only 34%-50% lower than those induced by the most energetic wavelengths. The impact of near-infrared radiation on body temperature was even greater under forest conditions, where this type of radiation becomes relatively more important because of canopy filtering of other wavelengths.
DOI: 10.1086/737156
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4411202779
FWCI: 0.533
Cites: 50
Cited by: 1
Related to: 10