Selected body temperature, thermal tolerance and influence of temperature on food assimilation in juvenile Chinese skinks, Eumeces chinensis (Scincidae)

We studied, in the laboratory, several aspects of thermal biology of juveni le Chinese skinks, Eumeces chinensis. We did not find between-sex differenc es in all tested traits. The selected body temperature, the critical therma l minimum and the critical thermal maximum averaged 28.2, 6.2 and 41.1 degr ees C, respectively. Within the range of 22 to 36 degrees C, temperature si gnificantly affected food intake, food passage time and mass change. Food i ntake generally increased between 22 and 30 degrees C, and decreased at tem peratures higher than 30 degrees C. Food-passage time remained almost uncha nged between 22 and 24 degrees C, sharply decreased from 24 to 26 degrees C , and leveled at higher temperatures. The juveniles gained mass within the range of 22 to 32 degrees C, and lost mass at higher temperatures. Influenc e of temperature on apparent digestive coefficient and assimilation efficie ncy, although statistically significant, was slight, suggesting the two tra its are relatively less sensitive to variation in temperatures.