. Asiatic herpetological research. Reptiles -- Asia Periodicals; Amphibians -- Asia Periodicals. 2001 Asiatic Herpetological Research Vol. 9, pp. 25-29 Influence of Temperature on Burrow Use by the Monitor Lizard Varanus panoptes o\ the Coastal Dunes at Fog Bay, Northern Australia Sean J. Blamires Morning Bell Language School, 671-3 Jukdo 2 Dong, Pohang City, Kyongsangbuk Do 791-052, South Korea. email: An increase in the number of Varanus panoptes burrows appearing among the sand dunes at Fog Bay in northern Australia was noticed during the dry season (June t
. Asiatic herpetological research. Reptiles -- Asia Periodicals; Amphibians -- Asia Periodicals. 2001 Asiatic Herpetological Research Vol. 9, pp. 25-29 Influence of Temperature on Burrow Use by the Monitor Lizard Varanus panoptes o\ the Coastal Dunes at Fog Bay, Northern Australia Sean J. Blamires Morning Bell Language School, 671-3 Jukdo 2 Dong, Pohang City, Kyongsangbuk Do 791-052, South Korea. email: An increase in the number of Varanus panoptes burrows appearing among the sand dunes at Fog Bay in northern Australia was noticed during the dry season (June to August). Entrances of marked burrows were smoothed, and their interiors investigated using a burrowscope, to determine the monthly number of foraging and retreat burrows appearing over a 12 month period. In the dry season, increased numbers of both types of burrows were found. A temperature data logger was used to record temperatures of the sand surface, and at a depth of 50 cm. Burrow depths were measured as how far the burrowscope could be lowered into each burrow. There was a positive correlation between the number of retreat burrows and burrow depths. There was a negative correlation between the number and depth of retreat burrows and the minimum sand-surface temperature and the maximum sand temperature at 50 cm. The number of foraging burrows was independent of sand temperatures. The results indicate a likely thermoregulatory use of retreat burrows with more and deeper burrows prevalent when overnight surface and subterranean sand temperatures decrease. Key Reptilia, Varanidae, Varanus panoptes, Australia, Northern Territory, fossorial, thermoregulation Introduction Burrows serve many ecologically important purposes to many animals (Hansell, 1993). Lizards expend less energy throughout the day if a large portion of time is spent in burrows (Bennett and Nagy, 1977). Monitor lizards (Varanus spp.) utilise burrows for a variety of purposes such as thermoregulation (
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