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Thermoregulatory function of the parietal eye in the lizard Anolis carolinensis

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Summary

Animals were acclimitized to a daily cycle of 15–25°C and a photoperiod of LD 12:12. Parietalectomized animals in an experimental thermal gradient (15°C–40°C, LD 12:12) selected significantly higher temperatures than controls at all hours of the day except from 0800–1200. These results suggest that the lizard parapineal plays a direct role in thermoregulation in addition to the indirect function as an illuminometer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 73069, Norman, Oklahoma

    Victor H. Hutchison & Richard J. Kosh

  2. Department of Zoology, University of Rhode Island, 02881, Kingston, Rhode Island

    Victor H. Hutchison & Richard J. Kosh

Authors
  1. Victor H. Hutchison
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  2. Richard J. Kosh
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Hutchison, V.H., Kosh, R.J. Thermoregulatory function of the parietal eye in the lizard Anolis carolinensis . Oecologia 16, 173–177 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345581

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345581

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