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Decreased Sprint Speed As A Cost Of Reproduction In The Lizard Scelopours Occidentalis: Variation Among Populations, Barry Sinervo, Richard Hedges, Stephen C. Adolph
Decreased Sprint Speed As A Cost Of Reproduction In The Lizard Scelopours Occidentalis: Variation Among Populations, Barry Sinervo, Richard Hedges, Stephen C. Adolph
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Decreased mobility of gravid females is thought to be an important cost of reproduction in lizards. We measured sprint speeds of female western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis Baird and Girard) before and after they had oviposited. Females from two California populations were about 20% slower when gravid, females from an Oregon population were about 30% slower, and females from a Washington population were about 45% slower, compared to their speeds after recovering from reproduction. The decrease in sprint speed persisted for several weeks after oviposition, suggesting that reproduction impairs sprint performance by affecting body condition in addition to the burdening …