Do Incubation Temperatures Affect the Preferred Body Temperatures of Hatchling Velvet Geckos?

Abayarathna, T; Webb, JK

Do Incubation Temperatures Affect the Preferred Body Temperatures of Hatchling Velvet Geckos?

Abayarathna, T Webb, JK

Permalink

Publisher:: Frontiers Media SA
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2021, 9, pp. 727602
Issue Date:: 2021-12-08

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (2.17 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Abayarathna, T
dc.contributor.author	Webb, JK
dc.date.accessioned	2022-01-13T02:23:13Z
dc.date.available	2022-01-13T02:23:13Z
dc.date.issued	2021-12-08
dc.identifier.citation	Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2021, 9, pp. 727602
dc.identifier.issn	2296-701X
dc.identifier.issn	2296-701X
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/153031
dc.description.abstract	<jats:p>In many lizards, a mother’s choice of nest site can influence the thermal and hydric regimes experienced by developing embryos, which in turn can influence key traits putatively linked to fitness, such as body size, learning ability, and locomotor performance. Future increases in nest temperatures predicted under climate warming could potentially influence hatchling traits in many reptiles. In this study, we investigated whether future nest temperatures affected the thermal preferences of hatchling velvet geckos, <jats:italic>Amalosia lesueurii</jats:italic>. We incubated eggs under two fluctuating temperature treatments; the warm treatment mimicked temperatures of currently used communal nests (mean = 24.3°C, range 18.4–31.1°C), while the hot treatment (mean = 28.9°C, range 20.7–38.1°C) mimicked potential temperatures likely to occur during hot summers. We placed hatchlings inside a thermal gradient and measured their preferred body temperatures (T<jats:sub>b</jats:sub>s) after they had access to food, and after they had fasted for 5 days. We found that hatchling feeding status significantly affected their preferred T<jats:sub>b</jats:sub>s. Hatchlings maintained higher T<jats:sub>b</jats:sub>s after feeding (mean = 30.6°C, interquartile range = 29.6–32.0°C) than when they had fasted for 5 d (mean = 25.8°C, interquartile range = 24.7–26.9°C). Surprisingly, we found that incubation temperatures did not influence the thermal preferences of hatchling velvet geckos. Hence, predicting how future changes in nest temperatures will affect reptiles will require a better understanding of how incubation and post-hatchling environments shape hatchling phenotypes.</jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Frontiers Media SA
dc.relation.ispartof	Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3389/fevo.2021.727602
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0602 Ecology, 0603 Evolutionary Biology
dc.title	Do Incubation Temperatures Affect the Preferred Body Temperatures of Hatchling Velvet Geckos?
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	9
utslib.for	0602 Ecology
utslib.for	0603 Evolutionary Biology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-01-13T02:23:11Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	9

Abstract:

In many lizards, a mother’s choice of nest site can influence the thermal and hydric regimes experienced by developing embryos, which in turn can influence key traits putatively linked to fitness, such as body size, learning ability, and locomotor performance. Future increases in nest temperatures predicted under climate warming could potentially influence hatchling traits in many reptiles. In this study, we investigated whether future nest temperatures affected the thermal preferences of hatchling velvet geckos, Amalosia lesueurii. We incubated eggs under two fluctuating temperature treatments; the warm treatment mimicked temperatures of currently used communal nests (mean = 24.3°C, range 18.4–31.1°C), while the hot treatment (mean = 28.9°C, range 20.7–38.1°C) mimicked potential temperatures likely to occur during hot summers. We placed hatchlings inside a thermal gradient and measured their preferred body temperatures (Tbs) after they had access to food, and after they had fasted for 5 days. We found that hatchling feeding status significantly affected their preferred Tbs. Hatchlings maintained higher Tbs after feeding (mean = 30.6°C, interquartile range = 29.6–32.0°C) than when they had fasted for 5 d (mean = 25.8°C, interquartile range = 24.7–26.9°C). Surprisingly, we found that incubation temperatures did not influence the thermal preferences of hatchling velvet geckos. Hence, predicting how future changes in nest temperatures will affect reptiles will require a better understanding of how incubation and post-hatchling environments shape hatchling phenotypes.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/153031