Thermoregulation and thermal dependence of locomotor performance in the gecko Gekko japonicus

摘要

In this study, we measured the field active body temperature, preferred body temperature, and thermal dependence of locomotor performance in a nocturnal lizard Gekko japonicus . We used this dataset to detect the pattern of thermoregulation and the effect of thermoregulation on functional performances. In the field, the active body temperatures of the geckoes differed monthly, but showed no difference among ages or between sexes. In the laboratory, the preferred body temperatures of gravid females (29.8℃) and juveniles (29.9)℃ were significantly higher than nongravid females (28.5℃) and males (28.2℃). Locomotor performance was profoundly affected by body temperature of the lizards: average speed increased with the increase of body temperatures from 15℃ to 34℃, and decreased when the temperature was higher than 34℃.There were no among-age or between-sex differences in average speed and its thermal sensitivity. During nocturnal activity, the effectiveness of thermoregulation in gravid females was higher than that in males, nongravid females and juveniles. The results from this study show that gravid females regulate their body temperatures more effectively than do males and nongravid females