| When to be born? Prolonged pregnancy or incubation enhances locomotor performance in neonatal lizards (Scincidae). | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 14635897 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
The degree of offspring development at hatching (or birth) varies among species within most major vertebrate lineages; altricial vs. precocial birds offer the clearest example of a trade-off between early hatching and the degree of locomotor development of the hatchling. No such diversity has been reported for reptiles, but we suggest that natural selection may fine-tune the time of hatching (in oviparous species) or birth (in viviparous species) to optimize offspring phenotypes and hence, maximize fitness. This hypothesis predicts enhanced neonatal performance after more prolonged incubation or gestation, within as well as among populations. Both published and original data on Australian scincid lizards support this prediction. In a field study, viviparous alpine skinks (Niveoscincus microlepidotus) that gave birth later in the season had faster-running offspring, that had a higher probability of surviving through the first year of life. The enhanced performance and survival were not secondary results of larger offspring size. After controlling for effects of mean incubation temperature, prolonged development also correlated with enhanced locomotor performance in hatchlings from eggs of an oviparous skink (Bassiana duperreyi) incubated at warm temperatures (> 20 degrees C) but not at cooler temperatures (< 20 degrees C). We suggest that embryonic reptiles control their date of hatching or birth and thus, their stage of development at this critical life-history transition. |
| | |
Authors:
|
R Shine; M Olsson |
Related Documents
:
|
8271817 - Cryopreservation of freshly isolated synaptosomes prepared from the cerebral cortex of ... 18657827 - Energy expenditure in extremely low birth weight infants near time of hospital discharge. 11600007 - The fluorescence of advanced maillard products is a good indicator of lysine damage dur... 23109757 - Transcatheter retrieval and repositioning of embolized stent from the right ventricle i... 2538797 - Half-dose immunization for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis: response of preterm infants. 9094727 - Early postnatal dexamethasone therapy may lessen lung inflammation in premature infants... |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Journal of evolutionary biology Volume: 16 ISSN: 1010-061X ISO Abbreviation: J. Evol. Biol. Publication Date: 2003 Sep |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2003-11-25 Completed Date: 2003-12-09 Revised Date: 2009-11-19 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 8809954 Medline TA: J Evol Biol Country: Switzerland |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 823-32 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. rics@bio.usyd.edu.au |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Adaptation, Physiological Animals Environment Female Lizards / embryology*, growth & development* Locomotion* Male Pregnancy Pregnancy, Animal / physiology* Seasons Selection, Genetic* Survival Analysis Temperature |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Rates of deleterious mutation and the evolution of sex in Caenorhabditis.
Next Document: Incongruent nuclear and mitochondrial phylogeographic patterns in the Timarcha goettingensis species...