Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards (Lacertidae)
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Biological Sciences
Publication Date
8-1-2009
Abstract
We acclimated adult males of three Eremias lizards from different latitudes to 28°C, 33 °C or 38°C to examine whether temperature acclimation affects their thermal preference and tolerance and whether thermal preference and tolerance of these lizards correspond with their latitudinal distributions. Overall, selected body temperature (Tsel) and viable temperature range (VTR) were both highest in E. brenchleyi and lowest in E. multiocellata, with E. argus in between; critical thermal minimum (CTMin) was highest in E. multiocellata and lowest in E. brenchleyi, with E. argus in between; critical thermal maximum (CTMax) was lower in E. multiocellata than in other two species. Lizards acclimated to 28°C and 38 °C overall selected lower body temperatures than those acclimated to 33°C; lizards acclimated to high temperatures were less tolerant of low temperatures, and vice versa; lizards acclimated to 28 °C were less tolerant of high temperatures but had a wider VTR range than those acclimated to 33°C and 38°C. Lizards of three species acclimated to the three temperatures always differed from each other in CTMin, but not in Tsel, CTMax and VTR. Our results show that: temperature acclimation plays an important role in influencing thermal preference and tolerance in the three Eremias lizards, although the degrees to which acclimation temperature affects thermal preference and tolerance differ among species; thermal preference rather than tolerance of the three Eremias lizards corresponds with their latitudinal distributions.
Recommended Citation
Li, H., Wang, Z., Mei, W., & Ji, X. (2009). Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards (Lacertidae). Current Zoology, 55(4), 258–265. https://doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/55.4.258
Journal
Current Zoology
Rights
© 2009 Current Zoology
Comments
This article was originally published in Current Zoology. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.
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