Vanhooydonck B, Van Damme R
Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
J Evol Biol. 2001 Jan 8;14(1):46-54. doi: 10.1046/j.1420-9101.2001.00260.x.
We tested the hypothesis that an evolutionary trade-off exists between the capacity to run on level terrain and the ability to climb inclined structures in lacertid lizards. Biomechanical and physiological models of lizard locomotor performance suggest that the morphological design requirements of a ground-dwelling vs. scansorial life style are difficult to reconcile. This conflict is thought to preclude simultaneous evolution of maximal locomotor performance on level and inclined terrain. This notion has been corroborated by comparative studies on lizard species from other groups (Anolis, Chamaeleo, Sceloporus), but is not supported by our data on 13 species from the family Lacertidae. We found no indication of a negative association between maximal sprint speed of lizards over a level racetrack (indicative of ground-dwelling locomotor performance), on an inclined stony surface (indicative of climbing performance over rock faces) and inclined mesh surface (indicative of clambering performance among vegetation). Moreover, morphological characteristics associated with fast sprinting capacities (e.g. long hind limbs) apparently enhance, rather than hinder climbing and clambering performance. We conclude that in our sample of lacertid lizards, the evolution of fast sprinting capacity on level terrain has not inflicted major restrictions on climbing and clambering performance.
在蜥蜴科蜥蜴中，在平坦地形上奔跑的能力与攀爬倾斜结构的能力之间存在进化权衡。蜥蜴运动表现的生物力学和生理学模型表明，地栖生活方式与树栖生活方式的形态设计要求难以协调一致。这种冲突被认为排除了在平坦和倾斜地形上同时进化出最大运动表现的可能性。这一观点已得到对其他类群蜥蜴物种（安乐蜥属、避役属、强棱蜥属）的比较研究的证实，但我们对蜥蜴科13个物种的数据并不支持这一观点。我们没有发现蜥蜴在平坦跑道上的最大冲刺速度（表明地栖运动表现）、在倾斜石质表面（表明在岩面上的攀爬表现）和倾斜网面（表明在植被间的攀爬表现）之间存在负相关的迹象。此外，与快速冲刺能力相关的形态特征（如长后肢）显然增强而非阻碍了攀爬和攀登表现。我们得出结论，在我们所研究的蜥蜴科蜥蜴样本中，在平坦地形上快速冲刺能力的进化并未对攀爬和攀登表现造成重大限制。
