An elevational trend of body size variation in a cold-climate agamid lizard,Phrynocephalus theobaldi

• 来源期刊: 动物学报（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2015,（3）
• 页码范围: 444-453
• 页数: 10页
• 语种: 英文

摘要

The pattern that many ectotherms have smaller body sizes in cold environments follows the converse to Bergmann’s rule and is most frequently found in lizards. Allen’s rule predicts animals from warm climates usually have longer tails and limbs, while these traits tend to be shorter in individuals from cold climates. We examined body size variation in an endemic Chinese lizardPhrynocephalus theobaldi along a broad elevational gradient (3,600–5,000 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau). Female body size showed a U-shaped cline, decreasing with increased elevation within the range 3,600–4,200 m, but increasing at eleva-tions > 4200 m. Male body size continued to increase with increasing elevations. Both sexes showed an increased pattern of ex-tremity length with elevation that does not conform to Allen’s rule. Limb length and tail length increased along the elevational gradients. In terms of color pattern, an abdominal black speckled area appears at elevations >4,200 m. This trait increases in size with increased elevation. Unlike most studies, our results indicated that annual sunshine hours corresponding to the activity pe-riod of the lizards could play an important role on the positive body size cline in environments at very high elevations > 4200 m [Current Zoology 61 (3): 444–453, 2015].