Seasonality, thermoregulation effectiveness of Aspidoscelis lineatissima (Sauria: Teiidae) and the thermal quality of a seasonally dry tropical forest in Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico

Abstract

STUDIES OF THERMOREGULATION IN ASPIDOSCELIS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE AND THE ACCURACY OF BODY TEMPERATURES RELATIVE TO A RANGE OF PREFERRED TEMPERATURES ARE SCARE. WE REPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEMPERATURE REGULATION OF A. LINEATISSIMA IN THE SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL FOREST (SDTF) OF CHAMELA, JALISCO, MEXICO, AND SEASONAL DIFFERENCES IN THE THERMAL QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. BODY TEMPERATURE (TC) OF A. LINEATISSIMA VARIED SEASONALLY (31.14 AND 33.82°C IN THE DRY AND WET SEASONS). THE PREFERRED TEMPERATURES (TSEL) VARIED FROM 33.27°C IN THE DRY SEASON TO 30.50°C IN THE WET SEASON. THE OPERATIVE NULL TEMPERATURES (TO) WERE SIMILAR IN BOTH SEASONS (29.30°C AND 29.34°C), AS SUGGESTED BY THE INDICES OF THERMOREGULATORY PRECISION (DB), THERMAL QUALITY OF HABITAT (DE) AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEMPERATURE REGULATION (E). RESULTS SUGGEST THAT SEASONALITY AFFECTS ONLY TSEL. THE RECORDED TC IS SIMILAR TO THAT REPORTED IN OTHER SPECIES IN THE GENUS. DESPITE THE LOW THERMAL QUALITY OF SDTF, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEMPERATURE REGULATION OF A. LINEATISSIMA IS RELATIVELY HIGH AND COULD BE RELATED TO ITS HIGH PREDATION RISK, TERRITORIALITY, AND FORAGING MODE.