新疆尉犁地区两种沙蜥的巢址特征比较.

Nest provides space for inhabiting, shelter, and offspring nursery. Understanding characteristics of nest-site selection is therefore essential for species conservation and management. In order to investigate nest-site selection in reptiles, the nest-site characteristics (nest temperature, nest depth, nest humidity, orientation of nest entrance and nest angle) were quantified and the differences were compared between two sand lizard species (Phrynocephalus axillaris and Ph. forsythii) in Yuli County in the middle area of Xinjiang of China. Results showed that the two lizard species nested in relatively dry soil, with significantly lower nest temperature and higher nest angle in the ovoviviparous Ph. forsythia than that in the oviparous Ph. axillaris(p<0. 05). The difference of nest depth between the two species was not significant (p= 0. 126), and they showed no preference for the orientation of nest entrance. This study provides compensating ecological data for Ph. axillaris and Ph. forsythia by comparing their nest-site features. As baseline information, it will also help with future detailed nest-site research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]