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American Zoologist 1979 19(1):273-293; doi:10.1093/icb/19.1.273
© 1979 by The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
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The Role of the Pineal Body in Ectotherm Thermoregulation

CHARLES L. RALPH, BRUCE T. FIRTH and J. SCOTT TURNER
Department of Zoology and Entomology, Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 80523

The pineal complex may be a part of the sensory and central neural system controlling thermoregulatory behavior. The pineal and parapineal organs of some ectotherms appear to function as radiation dosimeters, regulating exposure to sunlight. Physiological thermoregulation may be influenced by the pineal complex through cardiovascular adjustments or metabolic rates. Additionally, the pineal organ may exert thermoregulatory effects through the control of brain electrolytes. While the precise mechanisms of action remain to be defined, it is clear that pineal-parapineal organs participate in thermoregulatory adjustments by acting upon the central nervous system.


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