Journal
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
Volume 38, Issue 3, Pages 126-134Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2012.12.002
Keywords
Liolaemus; Thermoregulation; Sympatry; Allopatry; Puna; Andes
Funding
- CON-ICET
- CIUNSa
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We studied the efficiency of thermoregulation in four high elevation Liolaemus species in the Andes of Salta, Argentina; Liolaemus irregularis, Liolaemus multicolor, Liolaemus albiceps and Liolaemus yanalcu. One of the species, L irregularis, shows a broad distribution being in allopatry in some localities and in sympatry with L albiceps, L multicolor and L yanalcu at different sites. Together with this variation in assemblages, the degree of phylogenetic relatedness is different with L irregularis being most closely related to L albiceps than to the other two species (L multicolor and L yanalcu). We measured body (T-b), microenvironmental (T-a, T-s) and operative temperatures (T-e) in the field, and preferred body temperature (T-pref) in laboratory for each one of the species of assemblages. Three out of the four species showed a high thermoregulatory efficiency except for L. yanalcu, a moderate thermoregulator. The species studied here show high T-b in the field compared to most of the recorded Liolaemus species. However, the T-pref values were similar to other Liolaemus species. No evidence of thermal niche segregation between species in sympatry was observed. Our results suggest that the species studied here, despite living at high elevation and harsh climatic conditions are able to behaviorally or physiologically thermoregulate to achieve T(b)s close to their T-pref, probably because of low predation risk and perhaps low levels of competition. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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