TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of hydric environments during egg incubation on embryonic heart rates and offspring phenotypes in a scincid lizard (Lampropholis guichenoti)
AU - Du, Wei Guo
AU - Shine, Richard
PY - 2008/9
Y1 - 2008/9
N2 - Extensive evidence shows that incubation conditions can affect phenotypic traits of hatchling reptiles, but the relative importance of thermal versus hydric factors, and the proximate mechanisms by which such factors influence hatchling phenotypes, remain unclear for most species. We incubated eggs of an Australian scincid lizard, Lampropholis guichenoti, at four different moisture contents ranging from - 500 to 0 kPa. Drier substrates reduced water uptake of eggs and resulted in smaller hatchlings, but other phenotypic traits (incubation periods, hatchling sex, body proportions, running speeds, growth rates post-hatching) were not affected by the hydric environment during incubation. Contrary to our prediction, lower water uptake during incubation (and hence, presumably, more viscous blood) did not affect embryonic heart rates. Thus, as in many other squamate species, hatchling phenotypes and embryonic developmental rates of L. guichenoti are less sensitive to hydric conditions in the nest than to thermal regimes.
AB - Extensive evidence shows that incubation conditions can affect phenotypic traits of hatchling reptiles, but the relative importance of thermal versus hydric factors, and the proximate mechanisms by which such factors influence hatchling phenotypes, remain unclear for most species. We incubated eggs of an Australian scincid lizard, Lampropholis guichenoti, at four different moisture contents ranging from - 500 to 0 kPa. Drier substrates reduced water uptake of eggs and resulted in smaller hatchlings, but other phenotypic traits (incubation periods, hatchling sex, body proportions, running speeds, growth rates post-hatching) were not affected by the hydric environment during incubation. Contrary to our prediction, lower water uptake during incubation (and hence, presumably, more viscous blood) did not affect embryonic heart rates. Thus, as in many other squamate species, hatchling phenotypes and embryonic developmental rates of L. guichenoti are less sensitive to hydric conditions in the nest than to thermal regimes.
KW - developmental plasticity
KW - egg incubation
KW - embryonic metabolism
KW - growth
KW - hatchling
KW - heart rate
KW - reptile
KW - water potential
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47949096402&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.06.005
DO - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2008.06.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 18593603
AN - SCOPUS:47949096402
SN - 1095-6433
VL - 151
SP - 102
EP - 107
JO - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology
JF - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology
IS - 1
ER -