In small mammals, huddling appears as an efficient response to low temperature with important consequences in energy saving, which in turn affect individual fitness. It has been proposed that this behavior is a selforganized process. However, to prove self-organization, it is necessary to study the dynamics of huddling, ruling out the presence of leaders. The objectives of this study were to determine the dynamics of huddling at different temperatures in Octodon degus, documenting the presence or absence of leaders, and to study the consistency of this behavior in two contrasting seasons.
