Geographic variation in field body temperature of sceloporus lizards

1. Using data from the literature, I assessed how broad climatic patterns affected field body temperatures (T_b’s) of lizards in the genus Sceloporus.

2. Sceloporus at temperate latitudes had mean T_b’s of 35°C throughout their elevational range. This pattern is associated with “tropical” temperatures that extend into high north latitudes during the summer and the relatively low elevations occupied by the lizards.

3. At tropical latitudes, mean T_b declined from 35°C at low elevations to 31°C at high elevations. This pattern is associated with low seasonal variation in temperature at tropical latitudes and the relatively high elevations occupied by the lizards.