Maternal provisioning and fluctuating thermal regimes enhance immune response in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination

ABSTRACT The Charnov–Bull model of differential fitness is often used to explain the evolution and maintenance temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Most tests focus on morphological proxies fitness, such as size traits, whereas early life physiological traits that are closely related lifetime might provide a framework for generalizing across taxa. One trait strength early-life immune response, which strongly linked survival fitness. Here, we manipulated temperature, variance in test using trait, system strength, snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). We found no evidence sex-specific differences bactericidal capacity hatchling blood, mean temperature influences capacity. However, did find fluctuating incubation (i.e. more naturalized regime) associated with greater compared constant incubation. also egg mass, proxy maternal provisioning, positively Our findings suggest reptiles unrelated our measure innate immunity. study underlines how response condition dependent life, questions biological relevance experimental studies ectotherm development.