EFFECT OF FEEDING ON THE SELECTED BODY TEMPERATURE IN Liolaemus darwinii

BARAUNA A; SANABRIA E.; CABRILLANA M

Mendoza

Congreso; XXXI Annual Scientific Meeting; 2013

The behavior of selecting elevated body temperatures after physiological functions like feeding is frequently observed in Squamata order. However, this pattern has yet no precedent for the genus Liolaemus. The aim of this study is to compare the selected body temperature (Tsel) in two different conditions: feeding/fasting in the lizard L. darwinii, using a terrarium with individual lanes and a linear thermal gradient (25-55°C). In March 2013, 20 specimens were captured and divided in two groups, to receive two simultaneous treatments (fasting/feeding) for 4 days. We recorded the Tsel every 30 minutes, for 12 hours (8:00-20:00). No significant changes were detected in Tsel during the activity for both groups (ANCOVAs: ?fasting?: F=0.75, p=0.8; ?feeding?: F=0.89, p=0.7, cov.: body weight). The Tsel of lizards varied significantly between treatments T-test (gl=498)=5.73; p