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Reproductive Biology of Lizards from Patagonia, Argentina: Physiological and Behavioral Adaptations to Cold and Harsh Environments

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Lizards of Patagonia

Part of the book series: Natural and Social Sciences of Patagonia ((NSSP))

Abstract

In this chapter, we provide a detailed and integrated review of the reproductive biology and life-history traits related to reproduction of lizards that inhabit the cold and harsh environments of Patagonia, Argentina. Lizards of the genera Liolaemus, Phymaturus, and Homonota have shown distinctive life-history traits, such as the retention of eggs in the oviducts during most of embryogenesis, evolutionary transitions from oviparity to viviparity, adaptive synchronization of parturition under benign environmental conditions, signs of parental care, plasticity in the timing of reproductive events, prolonged multiennial reproductive cycles in females, interspecific variability in male reproductive cycles, and physiological mechanisms in males to synchronize with female cycles, among others. We discuss the adaptation of reproductive cycles to the energetic constraints imposed by environmental conditions of Patagonia. We focus on understanding how reproductive physiology could be affected by environmental stressors with the aim of contributing to successful conservation strategies.

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Acknowledgments

We thank John D. Krenz for reviewing the manuscript and for insight and constructive comments. We also thank Alfonso, Martín, Santiago, and Ramiro Guevara Martínez, Nora Blanco, Julio Boretto, Manuela Delfina Martínez, Alejandro Scolaro, Fausto Méndez De la Cruz, Miguel Fornés, Graciela Jahn, and Víctor Cussac for their support during the different studies reviewed in this chapter. We also thank the Wild Fauna Direction of Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz Government for the permits to perform the fieldwork. This research was supported by funding from National Geographic (9154-12), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, PIP 112-20120100676, PIP 100271, and PIP 114-20110100033), Agencia de Investigación Científica (FONCyT, PICT 1086, PICT 2013-1139, PICT 2014-3100 and PICT 2010-1125), “Quantifying Climate-forced Extinction Risks for Lizards, Amphibians, and Plants” of NSF (EF-1241848), and Universidad Nacional del Comahue (04/B196).

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  1. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Jorgelina M. Boretto

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA-CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Jimena B. Fernández, Facundo Cabezas-Cartes & Nora R. Ibargüengoytía

  3. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIEMEP-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina

    Marlin S. Medina

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Correspondence to Jorgelina M. Boretto .

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  1. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Mariana Morando

  2. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Luciano J. Avila

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Boretto, J.M., Fernández, J.B., Cabezas-Cartes, F., Medina, M.S., Ibargüengoytía, N.R. (2020). Reproductive Biology of Lizards from Patagonia, Argentina: Physiological and Behavioral Adaptations to Cold and Harsh Environments. In: Morando, M., Avila, L.J. (eds) Lizards of Patagonia. Natural and Social Sciences of Patagonia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42752-8_12

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