Table 1.

Ground squirrel body mass, cecal tissue mass, body temperature, and torpor characteristics

Group	n	Age, days	Body mass, g	Cecal Mass, g	Tb, °C	Total Days Hibernating	Total Days in Torpor	Days in Last Torpor Bout
Mothers	6	>420*	202 ± 10a	1.15 ± 0.07a	35.4 ± 0.5a,b
Summer	8	98 ± 1a	156 ± 10b	1.03 ± 0.04a	35.0 ± 0.8b
Early Winter-Aroused	8	157 ± 1b	158 ± 6b	0.78 ± 0.11b	35.8 ± 0.4a, b	34.3 ± 1.3a	29.1 ± 1.1a	6.1 ± 0.4
Early Winter-Torpid	6	155 ± 1b	157 ± 8b	0.62 ± 0.05b	6.5 ± 0.2c	33.5 ± 0.6a	28.8 ± 0.6a	6.2 ± 0.4
Late Winter-Aroused	7	253 ± 3c	132 ± 7c	0.68 ± 0.08b	36.2 ± 0.5a,b	132.0 ± 2.9b	115.0 ± 1.5b	6.1 ± 0.7
Late Winter-Torpid	6	252 ± 1c	138 ± 4b,c	0.71 ± 0.04b	6.5 ± 0.3c	130.0 ± 1.7b	116.7 ± 1.5b	7.2 ± 0.9
Spring	5	307 ± 1d	160 ± 10b	0.80 ± 0.02b	36.5 ± 0.5a

Values are expressed as means ± SE. For aroused hibernators, days in last torpor bout indicates length of last bout prior to arousal; for torpid squirrels, number of days in continuous torpor.

^*Age of wild-caught mothers was unknown and assumed to be ≥420 days; therefore, Mother ages were not used in statistical analysis.

^a,b,c,dLetters that differ within columns show significant differences (P < 0.05).