Effects of temperature and food availability on selected body temperature and locomotor performance of Plestiodon (Eumeces) chinensis (Scincidae)

Remarkable temporal and spatial variations occur on selected body temperature (Tsel) and locomotor performance for Plestiodon (Eumeces) chinensis, commonly known as Chinese skinks. However, the significance of these variations remains elusive. This study focuses on the effects of thermal environment and food availability on P. chinensis's Tsel and locomotor performance. The duration of thermal treatment (4h and 8h) displayed significant effects on Tsel, additionally the effects of thermal treatment were also dependent on food-availability. There was no significant variation in skink's Tsel under diverse thermal treatments when sufficient food was available. However, with insufficient food source, the Tsel decreased with decrease in the duration of thermal treatment. Thermal acclimation also affected locomotor performance of P. chinensis, as the 8h thermal treatment enhanced their locomotor performance. However, food availability alone had no significant impact on the locomotor performance. Therefore, the combination of thermal acclimation and food availability could cause variations in Tsel and locomotor performance of skinks, suggesting that thermal environment and food condition in nature are important factors involved in temporal and spatial variations for Tsel and locomotor performance.

Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards (Lacertidae)

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.