Genetic variation of body temperature of Coturnix coturnix in two ambient temperatures.

Coturnix quail were placed in an environmental chamber maintained at 21 degree C. and rectal temperatures taken. The birds were subjected to an abrupt change to 36 degree C. and the temperatures taken hourly for eight hours and at 25, 38 and 72 hours. Females had higher temperatures than males. When birds were moved to 36 degrees C. their temperatures rose rapidly and then dropped to a level higher than when birds were in the 21 degrees C. chamber. The genetic and total variation estimated from the analysis of variance method decreased under this sudden thermal stress condition. Birds kept in 36 degrees C. for three weeks were shifted to 21 degrees C. Their body temperature dropped sharply and then increased to a level lower than that obtained in the 36 degrees C. environment. The genetic variation was essentially zero when shifted to a lower temperature while the total variation increased.