Incubation Temperature Modifies Sex Ratio of Hatchlings in Collared Lizards, Crotaphytus collaris

Enrique Santoyo-Brito, Matthew Anderson, Stanley Fox

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Increasing evidence indicates that sex-determination mechanisms in reptiles (genotypic sex determination GSD and temperature-dependent sex determination TSD) are considerably labile and not mutually exclusive. Environmental factors can override GSD in some reptile species and some species shift from GSD to TSD at certain temperatures. We present data on the effects of incubation temperature on sex ratio in Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) hatchlings. Eggs were incubated at one of seven constant temperatures. More males were produced at both lower and higher temperatures and more females at intermediate temperatures. Although none of the seven treatments produced only females or only males (nor even differed significantly from an equal sex ratio), incubation at different constant temperatures influenced hatchling sex ratios and produced an overall statistically significant pattern, consistent with TSD pattern II but in an inverse way. Even with a lack of evidence, GSD has been suggested as the sex-determining mechanism in the species. Our results suggest that sex ratio is modified in a consistent pattern depending on incubation temperature; therefore, labeling this species GSD is premature. More research is needed, however, to conclude that C. collaris is a TSD species or a GSD species with temperature interacting with genetic factors.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)197-201
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Herpetology
Volume51
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2017
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Animal Science and Zoology

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