Warming Up:

Tegu Lizards in the Heat of Mating Season

Paper 2

Danielle Minji Jung

Herron, Honors 221
January 30, 2016

An article in Science News wrote about a recent studys findings on tegu lizards and their unusual
body heat during mating season. The research study was published in Science Advances and written by
two main authors, Glenn Tattersall and Cleo Leite (2016). The researchers found that tegu lizards are
unlike most reptiles because they can have body temperatures much higher than their environment
(Tattersall, Leite, Sanders, Cadena, Andrade, Abe & Milsom, 2016). During the spring and summer
months, tegu lizards behave much like other reptiles, drawing heat from their surroundings and
sunbathing. The lizards then hibernate in autumn and winter, and wake to search for a mate in
reproduction season. While small reptiles tend to lose internal heat rapidly and have body temperatures
similar to their surroundings, tegu lizards are up to 10 degrees Celsius hotter than their environment
during mating seasons (Fig 1). The authors of the study wanted to study how tegu lizards accomplished
this unusual feat. They hypothesized that tegu lizards had a special capability of producing their own heat
and efficiently conserving heat during reproductive seasons.
For just the heat conservation hypothesis to hold true, tegu lizards would rely only on external
heat sources for their body heat. Furthermore, in the absence of heat sources, tegu lizards should match
the temperature of their surroundings, just like other reptiles (Fig 2). On the other hand, if tegu lizards
produce their own heat, then lizards should have elevated body heat regardless of external heat sources. In
addition, other body indicators should be consistent with the body producing heat (Fig 3). If the heat
conservation hypothesis is wrong, then the results should follow the heat production hypothesis, and vice
versa. However, if both the heat conservation and heat production hypotheses are true, then researchers
should observe intermediate values for both conditions (Fig 4).
To test this, researchers placed tegu lizards in a controlled environment at a constant temperature
(Tattersall et al., 2016). Even without access to heat sources for a prolonged period of 8 days, the lizards
still maintained their high body temperature when measured at night (Fig 5). Both lizards who had access
to external heat sources and lizards who did not have access exhibited body temperatures above the
environment (Fig 6). These results contradicted the heat conservation hypothesis and instead supported
the idea that tegu lizards must produce their own heat. To further examine the heat production hypothesis,

researchers also measured heart rate over time. Changes in heart rate are used to indicate whether heat and
energy production is happening in the body. Through dormant and reproductive seasons (July to
December), researchers found that heart rate strongly correlated with changes in body temperature. As
time approached mating season, tegu lizard body heat increased over the ambient heat and so did heart
rate (Fig 7). This finding further supported the authors hypothesis that tegu lizards are capable producing
their own heat.
From the data presented, it can be concluded that unlike other small reptiles, tegu lizards are
capable of producing their own heat. During mating season, tegu lizards boost their body temperature,
corresponding with changes in other bodily indicators like heart rate. The finding that a small reptile is
capable of heat production is significant because it supports the possibility that internal heat production
evolved in part due to reproduction (Tattersall et al., 2016).
With these findings come even more questions related to the evolution of this unique trait and
why body heat boosts occur during reproductive seasons. What is the actual benefit of higher body
temperature for mating or attracting a mate? To what degree is this trait variable across the tegu lizard
population, and if so, does a certain temperature give better mating success? Do male and female lizards
boost their body heat for the same or different purposes? Did internal heat production evolve
independently in tegu lizards and warm-blooded mammals, or is there a possibility for a common
ancestor?
In the secondary news article, the author succeeded at taking scientific literature and translating
into an interesting, accessible read. The author included the most poignant points of the study and just
enough context to explain why the findings were significant. However, there was no information on how
the study was carried out or the logic of the study. Furthermore, the secondary article said that tegu lizards
turn up their body heat as a byproduct of reproduction, even though the authors did not explicitly state
that in their study (Thomson, 2016). For the most part, however, the news article did an adequate job
translating the scientific study to be engaging for a large audience.

Figure 1: Tegu Lizard Body TemperatureSeasonal Changes

Temperature differences between lizard and burrow (environment) was greatest in October, during
mating season.
Figure 2: Heat Conservation Hypothesis Correct & Heat Production Hypothesis Incorrect

If tegu lizards have such high body temperatures during mating season because of heat conservation,
tegu lizards should have lower body temperatures similar to the environment in the absence of heat
sources. Both measurements of body heat would be taken during mating season. Applies to Fig 2, 3, and
4Normal conditions: Lizards observed in outdoor enclosures, semi-natural conditions. No heat source
conditions: Lizards observed in captivity with no access to heat.

Figure 3: Heat Production Hypothesis Correct & Heat Conservation Hypothesis Incorrect

If tegu lizards boost their body heat during mating season because they produce their own heat, then they
should maintain the same body temperature in the absence of heat sources.
Figure 4: Heat Conservation & Heat Production Hypothesis Both Correct

If tegu lizards can produce body heat and have special capability to conserve heat during mating season,
then lizards should have an intermediate value of body heat when subjected to no external heat sources.
Figure 5: Thermal Pictures of Tegu Lizard With No Heat Sources

This is an infrared thermal image, measured in Celsius. This was taken after prolonged period of no
external heat sources. Clearly, the lizards are much hotter than their environment.

Figure 6: Indoor vs. Outdoor Conditions: Differences between Body Temperature and Environment

This shows a positive correlation between outdoor (burrow) and indoor (chamber) body temperatures
relative to that environment. The indoor condition did not have access to heat sources, so the lizards must
have produced heat in order to be hotter than the chamber.
Figure 7: Heart Rate is Strongly Correlated with Body Heat Boosts

Records of lizard body temperature above environment and heart rate. These were measured daily. Both
are positively correlated leading into mating season.

References
Tattersall, G., Leite, C., Sanders, C., Cadena, V., Andrade, D., Abe, A., & Milsom, K. 2016. Seasonal
reproductive endothermy in tegu lizards. Science Advances 2:e1500951.
Thomson, Helen. 2016, January 22. Tegu lizarads warm up for mating season. Science News. Retrieved
from https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-ticker/tegu-lizards-warm-mating-season.