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cje ›› 2011, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (09): 2034-2038.

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Effects of tail loss on locomotor ability and selected body temperature of common lizard Lacerta vivipara.

LIU Peng1, LIU Lin-lin1, LIU Zhi-tao1, XIA Yu-guo2, JI Xiang3, ZHAO Wen-ge1**   

  1. 1College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China;2Heilongjiang Vocational College of Biological Science and Technology, Harbin 150025, China; 3College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
  • Online:2011-09-08 Published:2011-09-08

Abstract: Tail autotomy is an effective anti-predator strategy adopted by many lizards, but can induce the decrease of their body mass and the changes in their energy balance, giving effects on their locomotor ability and body temperature adjustment. In this paper, a common lizard (Lacerta vivipara) population was collected from Xiaoxing’an Mountains in Heilongjiang Province of Northeast China in May 2006 to examine the effects of tail loss on the L. vivipara locomotor ability and selected body temperature. At experimental temperature 30 °Cand 24 °C, the tail loss of L. vivipara resulted in an obvious reduction in its locomotor performances. More specifically, the frequency of stopping locomotion increased whereas the maximum distance of continuous locomotion and the sprint speed decreased. To some extent, the effects of tail loss, experimental temperature, and sex on the locomotor ability of L. vivipara were independently. Tail loss was the main factor affecting the locomotor ability, but had little effects on the selected body temperature.

Key words: Urban-rural ecotone, Landscape pattern, Nanjing city