Organism

Arctic Shrew

TL;DR

Weighs 5 grams but maintains 98°F body temperature at -40°F ambient - a 138°F temperature differential.

Sorex arcticus

Mammal

Extreme example of endothermic costs. Weighs 5 grams but maintains 98°F body temperature at -40°F ambient - a 138°F temperature differential. Must eat 3× body weight daily, catching prey every 2 hours or starving. Heart beats 1,200 times/minute just to generate sufficient heat. Demonstrates that environment-independence through internal regulation has enormous metabolic costs.

Related Mechanisms for Arctic Shrew

Related Companies for Arctic Shrew