Body temperature regulation of selected captive reptiles in response to environmental fluctuations.

• Main Author: Lim, Jessica Lay Ting.
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Biological sciences::Zoology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/39412
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Reptiles are poorly studied animals in comparison to other species. Reptiles are ectoderms that require external heat sources to regulate their internal temperatures. They are thus susceptible to climate changes. In this study, I investigated the body temperature of 3 species of reptiles in response to environmental temperature fluctuations at the Singapore Zoo, namely the monitor lizard (Varanus Salvator), the rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura Cornuta) and the green iguana (Iguana Iguana). Through the comparison of their mean body temperature to the environmental temperature and their spatial use, we found that the smaller reptiles were able to regulate their body temperature at higher than the maximum environmental temperatures, while the larger and bigger V. Salvator body temperature is kept relatively lower than the minimum environmental temperature. I. Iguana and C. Cornuta spent a large amount of their activity basking. This could imply that the efficiency of the temperature regulation for small reptiles differs from than of bigger sized ones.