Moisture loss in relation to habitat selection in some Floridian reptiles. American Museum novitates ; no. 1358

Abstract

"Ten species of Floridian reptiles were subjected to nearly constant environmental temperatures of 38° C. in an experimental chamber in which the relative hunidity was maintained at a level approximating 37 per cent. An additional species, a subterrestrial lizard, was subjected to wet and dry sand at room temperatures. The experimental animals were weighed at periodic intervals during their exposure to such extreme environmental conditions, and those that survived were returned to a moist environment and weighed again. A few reptiles maintained in the thermal chamber in closed containers with wet sand in the bottom lost no weight so that it could be relatively certain that loss in weight represented a loss of moisture"--P. 33.