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Evolution of viviparity in cold-climate lizards: testing the maternal manipulation hypothesis

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Abstract

We used a cold-climate viviparous lacertid lizard (Eremias prezwalskii) as a model system to test the maternal manipulation hypothesis. Twenty-four gravid females collected from a population in Inner Mongolia (northern China) were maintained in the laboratory for the whole gestation length, with 12 allowed to bask for 14-h daily and the other 12 for 10-h daily. Females selected lower body temperatures but did not thermoregulate more precisely when gravid. The mean gestation length was shorter in females provided with longer basking opportunity. Neonates in the two treatments differed in tail length and the number of ventral scales but not in other examined morphological traits, with offspring born in the 14-h treatment having longer tails but fewer ventral scales. Offspring were sexually dimorphic at birth, with females being smaller in tail length, head length and fore-limb length but having more ventral scales than males of the same size. Offspring born in the 14-h treatment were not only faster runners but also grew faster than did offspring born in the 10-h treatment. Our data validate the main predictions of the maternal manipulation hypothesis that females should shift selected body temperatures during gestation to provide optimal thermal conditions for develo** embryos and that phenotypic traits determined by maternal thermoregulation should enhance offspring fitness. Our study is the first to demonstrate that the maternal manipulation hypothesis applies to cold-climate viviparous reptiles.

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Acknowledgements

The Forestry Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region provided a permit for capturing lizards in Wulatehouqi. The experiment complied with the current laws on animal welfare and research in China. We thank Hong An, Guo-Hua Ding, Hong-Liang Lu, Qun-Li Zhang and Wen-Bin Mei for their assistance. Comments by Richard Shine, Daniel Blackburn and one anonymous reviewer substantially improved the earlier version of this paper. This work was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 30670281), Nan**g Normal University and Hangzhou Normal University.

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  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nan**g Normal University, Nan**g, Jiangsu, 210046, China

    Hong Li, Yan-Fu Qu, Rui-Bin Hu & **ang Ji

  2. Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Animal Sciences and Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310036, China

    **ang Ji

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  1. Hong Li
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Correspondence to **ang Ji.

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Li, H., Qu, YF., Hu, RB. et al. Evolution of viviparity in cold-climate lizards: testing the maternal manipulation hypothesis. Evol Ecol 23, 777–790 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-008-9272-2

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