2. Academic Validation
  3. Behavioral thermoregulation by reptile embryos promotes hatching success and synchronization

Behavioral thermoregulation by reptile embryos promotes hatching success and synchronization

  • Commun Biol. 2023 Aug 15;6(1):848. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-05229-8.
Shuo Liu 1 2,  Bo Zhao 3,  Xiaoting Gu 2 4,  Weiguo Du 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
  • 2 College of life sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
  • 3 College of Fisheries, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316000, China.
  • 4 State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
  • 5 Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. duweiguo@ioz.ac.cn.
PMID: 37582884 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05229-8
Abstract

Reptile embryos can move inside eggs to seek optimal thermal conditions, falsifying the traditional assumption that embryos are simply passive occupants within their eggs. However, the adaptive significance of this thermoregulatory behavior remains a contentious topic. Here we demonstrate that behavioral thermoregulation by turtle embryos shortened incubation periods which may reduce the duration of exposure to dangerous environments, decreased egg mortality imposed by lethally high temperatures, and synchronized hatching which reduces predation risk. Our study provides empirical evidence that behavioral thermoregulation by turtle embryos is adaptive.

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