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Body size variation across climatic gradients and sexual size dimorphism in T ropidurinae lizards
Author(s) -
Brandt R.,
Navas C. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/jzo.12024
Subject(s) - sexual dimorphism , biology , bergmann's rule , lizard , range (aeronautics) , latitude , ecology , reproduction , zoology , squamata , sexual selection , limiting , evolutionary biology , geodesy , composite material , geography , mechanical engineering , engineering , materials science
In certain lineages of tetrapods, latitude and climate relate to body size in agreement with B ergmann's rule. Trends for squamates are ambiguous, even between genders within a species. Therefore, additional studies are required before generalizations can be made, and attention is needed to the possibility that male and female experience distinct selective pressures and display different patterns. We examine body size in male and female T ropidurinae lizard species and test both B ergmann's and R ensch's rule, using phylogenetic comparative methods. We also analyze whether trends are better explained by latitude or climatic conditions. In T ropidurinae lizards, body size does not vary in accordance with B ergmann's rule within the range of latitudes studied. Therefore, within this range, tropidurines seem not to experience thermal constraints limiting activity time, and therefore growth and body size. Yet, female body size relates to rain patterns, expectedly linked to productivity, suggesting that this gender experiences a stronger tradeoff between energy allocated to growth and to reproduction. In Tropidurinae, males tend to be larger than females and sexual dimorphism is male biased, with an isometric relationship between both sexes that does not support R ensch's rule.