Trans-marine dispersal inferred from the saltwater tolerance of lizards from Taiwan

Dehydration and hypersalinity challenge non-marine organisms crossing the ocean. The rate of water loss and saltwater tolerance thus determine the ability to disperse over sea and further influence species distribution. Surprisingly, this association between physiology and ecology is rarely investigated in terrestrial vertebrates. Here we conducted immersion experiments to individuals and eggs of six lizard species differently distributed across Taiwan and the adjacent islands to understand if the physiological responses reflect the geographical distribution. We found that Plestiodon elegans had the highest rate of water loss and the lowest saltwater tolerance, whereas Eutropis longicaudata and E. multifasciata showed the lowest rate of water loss and the highest saltwater tolerance. Diploderma swinhonis, Hemidactylus frenatus, and Anolis sagrei had medium measurements. For the eggs, only the rigid-shelled eggs of H. frenatus were incubated successfully after treatments. While, the parchment-shelled eggs of E. longicaudata and D. swinhonis lost or gained water dramatically in the immersions without any successful incubation. Combined with the historical geology of the islands and the origin areas of each species, the inferences of the results largely explain the current distribution of these lizards across Taiwan and the adjacent islands, pioneerly showing the association between physiological capability and species distribution.

Automated summary

Dehydration and hypersalinity pose challenges for non-marine organisms crossing the ocean, influencing their physiological responses and species distribution. Through immersion experiments, differences in water loss rate and saltwater tolerance were observed in lizard species across Taiwan and adjacent islands, providing insights into the association between physiological capability and geographical distribution.