The rapid expansion of urban environments invariably presents a novel series of pressures on wildlife due to changes in external environmental factors. In reptiles, any such changes in temperature are critical since thermoregulation is the key driver in the function of many physiological processes. How reptiles adapt to such changes may vary from those species that are impacted negatively to others that have the behavioural flexibility to exploit new conditions. In this paper we describe retreat site selection, movements and aspects of the thermal ecology of the African lizard Agama agama in urban environments of West Africa. In early evening lizards began movement from late-afternoon core activity areas and ascended the walls of houses for overnight retreats. A high proportion retreated to locations in groups under or on top of warm electrical panels. The thermal potential these panels offered was the attainment of body temperatures equal to or higher than the minimum preferred body temperature (PBT≈ 36 C in A. agama) and hence increased physiological performance. The lizards that took advantage of the heat sources travelled further each day to and from diurnal activity areas than individuals that spent the night high on walls but not next to heat panels. There were both potential costs (enhanced predation pressures) and benefits (impacts on thermal ecology, retreat site selection) of this behaviour for lizards living in urban environments.

中文翻译：

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郊区生活：昼夜活动热带蜥蜴夜间体温调节的人工热源选择

由于外部环境因素的变化，城市环境的快速扩张总是给野生动物带来一系列新的压力。在爬行动物中，任何这样的温度变化都是至关重要的，因为体温调节是许多生理过程功能的关键驱动因素。爬行动物如何适应这种变化可能会有所不同，从受到负面影响的物种到具有利用新条件的行为灵活性的其他物种。在本文中，我们描述了西非城市环境中非洲蜥蜴 Agama agama 的撤退地点选择、运动和热生态方面。傍晚时分，蜥蜴开始从下午晚些时候的核心活动区移动，并爬上房屋的墙壁过夜。很大一部分人成群结队地撤退到温暖的配电板下方或上方。这些面板提供的热潜力是达到等于或高于最低首选体温（在 A.agama 中 PBT≈36 C）的体温，因此提高了生理性能。利用热源的蜥蜴每天往返于昼夜活动区的距离比那些在墙壁上过夜但不在加热板旁边的蜥蜴走得更远。对于生活在城市环境中的蜥蜴，这种行为既有潜在的成本（增加的捕食压力），也有收益（对热生态的影响、撤退地点的选择）。这些面板提供的热潜力是达到等于或高于最低首选体温（在 A.agama 中 PBT≈36 C）的体温，因此提高了生理性能。利用热源的蜥蜴每天往返于昼夜活动区的距离比那些在墙壁上过夜但不在加热板旁边的蜥蜴走得更远。对于生活在城市环境中的蜥蜴，这种行为既有潜在的成本（增加的捕食压力），也有收益（对热生态的影响、撤退地点的选择）。这些面板提供的热潜力是达到等于或高于最低首选体温（在 A.agama 中 PBT≈36 C）的体温，因此提高了生理性能。利用热源的蜥蜴每天往返于昼夜活动区的距离比那些在墙壁上过夜但不在加热板旁边的蜥蜴走得更远。对于生活在城市环境中的蜥蜴，这种行为既有潜在的成本（增加的捕食压力），也有收益（对热生态的影响、撤退地点的选择）。