Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 86 (2): 127-135, 2013
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Diurnal and nocturnal thermoregulation in the lizard Phyllodactylus
bordai (Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae) in a semiarid region of central Mexico
RAFAEL A. LARA-RESENDIZ, DIEGO M. ARENAS-MORENO & FAUSTO R. MÉNDEZ-DE LA
Nocturnal reptiles depend on habitat thermal quality to efficiently regulate
their body temperature and to perform diurnal and nocturnal biological activities. It has previously been suggested that
nocturnal ectotherms maintain different strategies to thermoregulate between day and night. Therefore, the objectives of
the present study were: (1) to examine the field and preferred body temperature of the nocturnal lizard Phyllodactylus
bordai throughout the photophase and scotophase and to quantify available operative temperature; and (2) to
evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation and the thermal quality of habitat in both phases. Our study
area focuses within a semiarid region of central Mexico. Results show that P. bordai presents a bimodal
thermoregulatory pattern with high body temperatures during photophase and low body temperatures during scotophase.
This species exhibits a eurythermic strategy characterized by a wide range of body temperatures and was highly accurate
and efficient in regulating its body temperature in both phases. The semiarid region of central Mexico provides P.
bordai with a thermally optimal and stable microclimate during each phase to achieve and maintain its optimal
body temperature with relatively low thermoregulatory effort. Our results are in general agreement with previous studies and
predictions and expand prior work regarding the thermal ecology of nocturnal reptiles.
photophase, scotophase, thermoregulation, thermal efficiency, thermal quality.
