We think that live birth is an adaptation, which means it is a change in the way an animal’s body works in order to help it survive and reproduce better.
The current theory is that live birth helps lizards better control the temperature experienced by their babies while they’re developing. If a lizard lays eggs, the babies are subject to potentially really hot or really cold temperatures in the nest. If a lizard gives birth to live young, she holds her babies in her uterus until they are fully developed. She can bask in the sun if she and her babies are too cold, or she can hide under a rock or some other shelter if she and her babies are too hot.
There are some species of lizards that have both of these conditions. In one place, these lizards might lay eggs, while in another place they might give birth to live young. An example of this is the three-toed skink. We think these lizards that do both might be the way we find the answer to our question
That’s definitely a question for Bridget! I don’t know very much about lizards.
I would think that, like any species, lizards do things which will help them survive. For some lizards it must be an advantage to give birth to live young, while for others, eggs may be better.
We think that live birth is an adaptation, which means it is a change in the way an animal’s body works in order to help it survive and reproduce better.
The current theory is that live birth helps lizards better control the temperature experienced by their babies while they’re developing. If a lizard lays eggs, the babies are subject to potentially really hot or really cold temperatures in the nest. If a lizard gives birth to live young, she holds her babies in her uterus until they are fully developed. She can bask in the sun if she and her babies are too cold, or she can hide under a rock or some other shelter if she and her babies are too hot.
There are some species of lizards that have both of these conditions. In one place, these lizards might lay eggs, while in another place they might give birth to live young. An example of this is the three-toed skink. We think these lizards that do both might be the way we find the answer to our question
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That’s definitely a question for Bridget! I don’t know very much about lizards.
I would think that, like any species, lizards do things which will help them survive. For some lizards it must be an advantage to give birth to live young, while for others, eggs may be better.
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Oh no, Bridget questions to answer and no Bridget…
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