Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards ( Lacertidae )

We acclimated adult males of three Eremias lizards from different latitudes to 28 °C, 33 °Cor 38 °Cto examine whether temperature acclimation affects their thermal preference and tolerance and whether thermal preference and tolerance of these lizards correspond with their latitudinal distributions. Overall , selected body temperature ( Tsel) and viable temperature range (VTR) were both highest in E1 brenchleyi and lowest in E1 multiocellata , with E1 argus in between ; critical thermal minimum (CTMin) was highest in E1 multiocellata and lowest in E1 brenchleyi , with E1 argus in between ; critical thermal maximum (CTMax) was lower in E1 multiocellata than in other two species. Lizards acclimated to 28 °Cand 38 °Coverall selected lower body temperatures than those acclimated to 33 °C; lizards acclimated to high temperatures were less tolerant of low temperatures , and vice versa ; lizards acclimated to 28 °Cwere less tolerant of high temperatures but had a wider VTR range than those acclimated to 33 °Cand 38 °C. Lizards of three species acclimated to the three temperatures always differed from each other in CTMin , but not in Tsel , CTMax and VTR. Our results show that : temperature acclimation plays an important role in influencing thermal preference and tolerance in the three Eremias lizards , although the degrees to which acclimation temperature affects thermal preference and tolerance differ among species ; thermal preference rather than tolerance of the three Eremias lizards corresponds with their latitudinal distributions [ Current Zoology 55 (4) : 258 265 , 2009 ] .