A Comparative Study of Preferred Body Temperatures and Critical Thermal Tolerance Limits among Populations of Zootoca vivipara (Squamata: Lacertidae) along an Altitudinal Gradient

• Published in: Journal of herpetology Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 486 - 492
• Main Authors: Gvoždík, Lumír, Castilla, Aurora M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles 01.09.2001
• Subjects: Biological adaptation; Body temperature; Ecophysiology; Evolution; Gravid females; Lizards; Male animals; Physiology; Population characteristics; Reptiles; Zootoca vivipara
• ISSN: 0022-1511; 1937-2418
• DOI: 10.2307/1565967

We compared preferred body temperatures, critical thermal minima, and maxima, and tolerance ranges among four populations of Zootoca vivipara (formerly Lacerta vivipara) distributed along an altitudinal gradient (250-1450 m) to examine whether different thermal environments have induced a change in these thermal characteristics. Lizards in all populations had similar preferred body temperatures and critical thermal limits, suggesting that acclimation or adaptation of these traits to different thermal environments did not occur. Subadult females and gravid females preferred lower body temperatures than non-gravid females and subadult and adult males. Preferred body temperatures differed among individuals of the same age and sex within a particular population. In contrast to the negligible among-population variation, preferred body temperatures varied considerably within populations in Z. vivipara.