Maternal Thermal Effects on Female Reproduction and Hatchling Phenotype in the Chinese Skink(Plestiodon chinensis)  

作　　者：Li MA Zhihua LIN Jianfang GAO Hong LI Xiang JI Hongliang LU 

机构地区：[1]Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University [2]School of Ecology, Lishui University [3]Hangzhou Key Laboratory for Animal Adaptation and Evolution, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University

出　　处：《Asian Herpetological Research》2018年第4期250-257,共8页亚洲两栖爬行动物研究（英文版）

基　　金：the National Science Foundation of China (31670399 and 31670422)

摘　　要：We maintained gravid Chinese skinks(Plestiodon chinensis) at three constant temperatures(25, 28 and 31 °C) during gestation, and randomly assigned eggs from each female to one of the same three temperatures for incubation to determine maternal thermal effects on female reproduction and hatchling phenotype. Maternal temperature affected egg-laying date, hatching success and hatchling linear size(snout-vent length, SVL) but not clutch size, egg size, egg component, and embryonic stage at laying. More specifically, females at higher temperatures laid eggs earlier than did those at low temperatures, eggs laid at 31 °C were less likely to hatch than those laid at 25 °C or 28 °C, and hatchlings from eggs laid at 31 °C were smaller in SVL. Our finding that maternal temperature(pre-ovipositional thermal condition) rather than incubation temperature(post-ovipositional thermal condition) affected hatching success indicated that embryos at early stages were more vulnerable to temperature than those at late stages. Our data provide an inference that moderate maternal temperatures enhance reproductive fitness in P. chinensis.We maintained gravid Chinese skinks(Plestiodon chinensis) at three constant temperatures(25, 28 and 31 °C) during gestation, and randomly assigned eggs from each female to one of the same three temperatures for incubation to determine maternal thermal effects on female reproduction and hatchling phenotype. Maternal temperature affected egg-laying date, hatching success and hatchling linear size(snout-vent length, SVL) but not clutch size, egg size, egg component, and embryonic stage at laying. More specifically, females at higher temperatures laid eggs earlier than did those at low temperatures, eggs laid at 31 °C were less likely to hatch than those laid at 25 °C or 28 °C, and hatchlings from eggs laid at 31 °C were smaller in SVL. Our finding that maternal temperature(pre-ovipositional thermal condition) rather than incubation temperature(post-ovipositional thermal condition) affected hatching success indicated that embryos at early stages were more vulnerable to temperature than those at late stages. Our data provide an inference that moderate maternal temperatures enhance reproductive fitness in P. chinensis.

关 键 词：Developmental plasticity egg incubation female reproduction hatchling phenotype maternal thermal effect Plestiodon chinensis 

分 类 号：Q[生物学]