SSRP Abstract

Board 4: The Importance of Temperature in Scincus scincus, the Sand-Swimming Skink

Student Scientist: Ethan Livingston ’24
Research Mentor: Eric Gangloff (OWU Department of Biological Sciences)

In this project we examined sandfish skinks, which are lizards that swim through sand, and measured preferred temperature and the effect of temperature on their performance. First, we measured the preferred temperature of lizards during the day when they were given a choice of a broad range of temperatures. Second, we measured how quickly skinks submerged themselves in sand and how fast they could sprint at different body temperatures. This project has given us a better understanding of how desert specialists select body temperatures and how temperature affects their ability to complete important tasks.

Little is known about the natural history of the sandfish skink (Scincus scincus), despite its range spanning two continents and being common in the pet trade. In arid and hot environments across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, these lizards spend up to 90% of their day beneath sand and are uniquely adapted to this environment. However, much about the basic biology of this species remains unknown, especially in regard to its adaptations to its thermal environment. To better understand how the sandfish skink thermoregulates, we studied their thermal preferences and their use of sand horizons as a method for body temperature regulation. We monitored individual lizard body temperatures throughout the day in an environment where they had the ability to pick their ideal temperature. Additionally, we quantified the thermal dependence of performance by recording sprinting speed and diving speed, important for prey capture and predator avoidance, across a range of temperatures. We then tested the hypothesis that thermal preferences and the optimal temperature for diving and sprinting performance are correlated, suggesting co-adaptation of behavior and physiology. Overall, these data provide understanding of how this unique ectotherm survives in the extreme thermal conditions of a scorching hot desert.