Many warm-blooded animals adjust their body temperature to the environment to maintain their body temperature and energy. This mechanism is carried out through hibernation and aestivation mechanisms.

Hibernation is a state in which animals do not perform any activity and sleep during the winter to minimize the work of metabolism through slow breathing and slow heart rate.

This is done by animals to protect themselves from extreme temperatures and hunger due to food shortages in winter. Examples of animals that hibernate are bats, groups of rodents, bears, fish, turtles, and other animals.

Aestivation is basically a similar mechanism to hibernation, but it is carried out by animals during extremely hot environmental conditions and is usually carried out by animals living in tropical areas or hot deserts. This is done by animals to keep energy and water in their bodies from sunburn.

In general, the difference between hibernation and aestivation is the place of this mechanism, by which animals hibernate in warm places during the winter period. Meanwhile, aestivation is done in a place that tends to be cool or very humid and is done only when environmental conditions are very hot.

The 5 examples of animals that do aestivation are the following:

1. snail

Snails are animals that belong to the gastropod class. One of the characteristics of snails is that they have a shell that serves to protect them from predators and maintain body moisture.

This shell limits the mobility of the snail so the snail moves very slowly due to its heavy shell and makes the snail a slow animal.

These shells vary in motifs and colors. Snails are often found in areas with lots of trees, bushes, and forests. This is done by snails to carry out aestivation, which consists of reducing the evaporation of water from the snail’s body.

Evaporation in snails occurs through the shell, so in very hot conditions, snails sometimes secrete a kind of substance that forms a membrane layer on the shell that can minimize oxygen diffusion, including evaporation.

2. Koksi beetle

koksi beetle or Coccinellidae It is famous for its beautiful color, as well as an insect that benefits farmers. These insects are round or oval in shape with the unique characteristics of red, orange, or yellow wings and black spots on the wings.

This prominent color is a form of beetle adaptation in that light-colored animals are generally poisonous, so predators consider the beetles to be poisonous and do not feed on the koksi beetle. The maximum body size of this animal is 1 cm and it is often found in open areas such as gardens.

The main food of the koksi beetle is lice or aphids where the consumption of much determines the reproduction of beetles. The koksi beetle reduces its activity when the air tends to be warmer, this is what makes the koksi beetle a summer animal.

3. Tropical freshwater crab

Tropical freshwater crab or Austrothelphusa transverse It is a crab endemic to Australia. Freshwater crabs are found in tropical and subtropical areas. The exploitation of crabs for human consumption often causes these animals to be declared extinct before their morphology is revealed.

The uniqueness of these animals is that they will burrow that is, a hole in the ground when ambient conditions are very hot to protect against excessive evaporation using soil moisture.

4. Red-legged frog

red-legged frog or California Red Legged Frog It is endemic to the United States. The size of this frog varies from 4 to 13 cm with a distinctive feature, namely red belly and hind legs.

On the back of this animal there is a black spot that serves as a center to catch the light and has lateral folds on the back.

The feeding of the red-legged frog varies according to the way of life, in the larval life stage these animals consume algae, in adult frogs the main food is groups of invertebrates such as insects, or in larger sizes these frogs usually eat frogs smaller tree dwellers or mice.

In general, adult frogs include animals that are active at night, while young frogs are active both day and night.

As one of the aestivating animals, the red-legged frog protects itself from extreme heat by entering a torpor phase using holes in the ground or burrow belonging to small mammals, or hidden under wet leaf litter to prevent excess evaporation.

5. Water collecting frog

Water-retaining frog or water-retaining frog with scientific name Litoria platycephala it is a frog that has a flat head and eyes on the right and left sides of the head that are small and bulging.

The skin of this frog is greenish gray with black spots on the back and belly that are white in color and the toes are fully webbed. These animals are found in ponds, swamps, meadows, and clay. The body size of this frog is around 7.2 cm.

The form of aestivation carried out by this frog is the same as that of small mammals, that is, by making underground holes and storing water up to 60% of body weight in its body during environmental conditions of extreme heat. The process of storing water in the body is supported by the presence of an impermeable layer on the frog’s skin.