Proximate drivers of elevational variation in body size in a Mediterranean lizard.
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| Title: | Proximate drivers of elevational variation in body size in a Mediterranean lizard. |
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| Authors: | Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio1 (AUTHOR) gmr@ugr.es, Reguera, Senda2 (AUTHOR), Zamora-Camacho, Francisco J.3 (AUTHOR), Comas, Mar1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Evolutionary Ecology. Jun2026, Vol. 40 Issue 3, p1-15. 15p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Body size, *Prey availability, *Human growth, *Phenotypes, *Spatial variation, *Animal ecology, *Lizards |
| Abstract: | Body size often varies with elevation, yet the proximate mechanisms underlying such patterns remain poorly understood. In the Mediterranean lizard Psammodromus algirus, body size increases stepwise with elevation, remaining stable between 300 and 1,200 m but increasing linearly from 1,700 to 2,500 m a.s.l. To identify the proximate mechanisms driving this pattern, we evaluated five non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: variation in (1) hatchling size, (2) juvenile growth rate, (3) time to sexual maturity, (4) post-maturational growth rate, and (5) longevity. We combined data from hatchlings, juveniles, and adults collected along the elevational gradient to test each mechanism. Elevational variation in lizard body size was not explained by variation in hatchling size, age at maturity, post-maturational growth, or longevity. Instead, juvenile growth rate increased significantly with elevation and was positively correlated with adult body size. This pattern was associated with greater prey abundance at high elevations, suggesting that faster juvenile growth in food-rich environments allows lizards to reach larger sizes despite shorter activity seasons. Our findings highlight that geographic variation in body size may reflect environmental constraints, underscoring the importance of identifying proximate mechanisms to understand phenotypic patterns in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
| Abstract: | Body size often varies with elevation, yet the proximate mechanisms underlying such patterns remain poorly understood. In the Mediterranean lizard Psammodromus algirus, body size increases stepwise with elevation, remaining stable between 300 and 1,200 m but increasing linearly from 1,700 to 2,500 m a.s.l. To identify the proximate mechanisms driving this pattern, we evaluated five non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: variation in (1) hatchling size, (2) juvenile growth rate, (3) time to sexual maturity, (4) post-maturational growth rate, and (5) longevity. We combined data from hatchlings, juveniles, and adults collected along the elevational gradient to test each mechanism. Elevational variation in lizard body size was not explained by variation in hatchling size, age at maturity, post-maturational growth, or longevity. Instead, juvenile growth rate increased significantly with elevation and was positively correlated with adult body size. This pattern was associated with greater prey abundance at high elevations, suggesting that faster juvenile growth in food-rich environments allows lizards to reach larger sizes despite shorter activity seasons. Our findings highlight that geographic variation in body size may reflect environmental constraints, underscoring the importance of identifying proximate mechanisms to understand phenotypic patterns in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 02697653 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10682-026-10394-3 |
