Meeting Abstract
It is well known that maternal effects can be a powerful mechanism generating phenotypic variation with potentially important consequences for fitness. Prenatal maternal effects, often mediated by embryonic exposure to maternal hormones, have been identified as a particularly important form. So far, most studies concerning maternally transferred hormones have focused on steroid hormones (e.g., corticosterone and testosterone). Eggs from several oviparous species have also been documented to contain thyroid hormones (TH). THs are known to play important roles in the development of various organ systems and in metabolism. Therefore, if THs are transferred to developing embryos, they could represent another hormonal mechanism through which hatchling/juvenile phenotypes can be influenced with potential fitness consequences. In this study we examined the effects of elevated yolk T3 concentration on several embryonic and hatchling lizard traits, including incubation time, morphology, and metabolic rate. After measurements, hatchlings were also released into the field to attempt to assess variation in hatchling survival.
