Morphology and burrowing energetics of semi-fossorial skinks (Liopholis)

N C Wu; L A Alton; Christofer J Clemente; M R Kearney; C R White

doi:10.1242/jeb.113803

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Morphology and burrowing energetics of semi-fossorial skinks (Liopholis)

Journal article

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Morphology and burrowing energetics of semi-fossorial skinks (Liopholis)

N C Wu, L A Alton, Christofer J Clemente, M R Kearney and C R White

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol.218, pp.2416-2426

2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.113803

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Abstract

Biological Sciences

Medical and Health Sciences

burrowing skinks

Burrowing is an important form of locomotion in reptiles, but no study has examined the energetic cost of burrowing for reptiles. This is significant since burrowing is the most energetically expensive mode of locomotion undertaken by animals, and many burrowing species therefore show specialisations for their subterranean lifestyle. We examined the effect of temperature and substrate characteristics (coarse sand or fine sand) on the net energetic cost of burrowing (NCOB) and burrowing rate in two species of the Egernia group of skinks (Liopholis striata and Liopholis inornata) and compared it with those of other burrowing animals. We further tested for morphological specialisations among burrowing species by comparing the relationship between body shape and retreat preference in Egernia skinks. For L. striata and L. inornata, NCOB is 350 times more expensive than the predicted cost of pedestrian terrestrial locomotion. Temperature had a positive effect on burrowing rate for both species, and a negative effect on NCOB for L. striata but not L. inornata. Both NCOB and burrowing rate were independent of substrate type. Burrows constructed by skinks had smaller cross-sectional area than those constructed by mammals of comparable mass, and NCOB of skinks was lower than that of mammals of similar mass. After accounting for body size, retreat preference was significantly correlated with body shape in Egernia group skinks. Species of Egernia group skinks that use burrows for retreats have narrower bodies and shorter front limbs than other species. We conclude that the morphological specialisations of burrowing skinks allow them to construct relatively narrow burrows, thereby reducing NCOB and the total cost of constructing their burrow retreats

Details

Title: Morphology and burrowing energetics of semi-fossorial skinks (Liopholis)
Authors: N C Wu (Author) - University of Queensland
L A Alton (Author) - University of Queensland
Christofer J Clemente (Author) - University of Queensland
M R Kearney (Author) - University of Melbourne
C R White (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol.218, pp.2416-2426
Publisher: Company of Biologists Ltd.
Date published: 2015
DOI: 10.1242/jeb.113803
ISSN: 0022-0949
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449828702621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Biology; Zoology

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