Selected body temperature, thermal tolerance and influence of temperature on food assimilation in the oriental garden lizard, Calotes versicolor (Agamidae)
Abstract:Selected body temperature (Tsel), critical thermal minimum (CTMin), critical thermal maximum (CTMax), and influence of temperature on food assimilation were studied in the Oriental Garden Lizard, Calotes versicolor (Agamidae), from a population in Wuzhishan, Hainan, southern China. Tsel, CTMin and CTMax of juveniles averaged 32.6, 7.7℃ and 41.7℃, respectively. Tsel, CTMin and CTMax of adults averaged 33.1, 8.2℃ and 42.0℃, respectively. Temperature significantly affected food passage time, energy intake but not apparent digestive coefficient (ADC), assimilation efficiency (AE) of lizards. The food passage time decreased with increase in temperature from 28 to 34℃. Energy intake was lower at 26, 28 and 30℃ than at higher temperatures.