Data from: Morphological variations in toad-headed agama: Potential responses to diverse microhabitats
Data files
Mar 12, 2026 version files 87.48 KB
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Data_of_Morphological_variations_in_toad-headed_agama.xlsx
80.85 KB
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README.md
6.63 KB
Abstract
The adaptive response of animals to microhabitat variations attracts much attention in evolutionary biology. Animal morphological traits exhibit close associations with microhabitat utilization critically influencing organismal performance in specific habitats. However, how diverse desert microhabitats drive variations in morphology and related functions remains largely unclear. Here, with two populations of toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus przewalskii) inhabiting semi-arid and arid areas, we compared the microhabitat characteristics as well as the variations in morphological characteristics, locomotion performances (running and burrowing) of lizards. Furthermore, by relating the functional differences and morphology, and thus the variation in microhabitats, we aimed to predict the adaptive morphological responses of toad-headed agama to a variation in microhabitats. We found the population from open microhabitats with solid substrates possessed longer forelimbs (brachium and antebrachium) and appendages (metacarpus, phalanges, front claw, and hind claw). They also presented higher sprint speeds and enhanced burrowing capabilities, particularly on a hard soil matrix. Therefore, the differences in morphology and function between the populations support the hypothesis that morphological characteristics are compatible with function and potentially indicate adaptive strategies within different microhabitats.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.w9ghx3g1z
Description of the data and file structure
Data_of_Morphological_variations_in_toad-headed_agama.xlsx
Sheet: vegetation characteristics
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Location: Study sites where the vegetation was sampled
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Vegetation height (cm): Average height of plants in the 1×1 m2 sample
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Vegetation coverage (%): Coverage of plants in the 1×1 m2 sample
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Sand particles rate(%): sand particle rate (%) = (dry mass of soil – dry mass of coarse particles)/dry mass of soil
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log10-Vegetation height: log-transformations of vegetation height (log base 10)
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Arc-sand particles rate: arcsin- transformations of sand particles rate
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Concealment of corner 1(%): Concealment of one corner of each sample plot
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Concealment of corner 2(%): Concealment of one corner of each sample plot
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Concealment of corner 3(%): Concealment of one corner of each sample plot
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Concealment of corner 4(%): Concealment of one corner of each sample plot
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Average concealment of four corners(%): Average concealment of four corners of each sample plot
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Arc-concealment: arcsin- transformations of average concealment of four corners
Sheet: soil characteristics
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Location: Study sites where the soil was collected
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1-cm depth hardness(kg/m3): soil hardness of lizard burrows at 1-cm depth
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5-cm depth hardness(kg/m3): soil hardness of lizard burrows at 5-cm depth
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15-cm depth hardness(kg/m3): soil hardness of lizard burrows at 15-cm depth
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bottom hardness(kg/m3): soil hardness of lizard burrows at the bottom of the burrow
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log10-1-cm depth hardness(kg/m3): log-transformations of 1-cm depth hardness (log base 10)
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log10-5-cm depth hardness(kg/m3): log- transformations of 5-cm depth hardness (log base 10)
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log10-15-cm depth hardness (kg/m3): log- transformations of 15-cm depth hardness (log base 10)
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log10-bottom hardness(kg/m3): log-transformations of bottom hardness (log base 10)
Sheet: morphological data
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Population: Population sources where the lizards were collected
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Sex: Gender of the lizards
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Body mass(g): Body mass of the lizards
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Snout vent length(mm): Snout vent length of the lizards
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Abdomen length(mm): Abdomen length of the lizards
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Tail length(mm): Tail length of the lizards
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Head length(mm): Head length of the lizards
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Head height(mm): Head height of the lizards
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Head width(mm): Head widthof the lizards
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Humerus length(mm): Humerus length of the lizards
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Radius length(mm): Radius length of the lizards
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Fore metacarpus length(mm): Fore metacarpus length of the lizards
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Fore toe length(mm): Fore toe length of the lizards
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Fore claw length(mm): Fore claw length of the lizards
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Femur length(mm): Femur length of the lizards
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Tibia length(mm): Tibia length of the lizards
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Hind metatarsus length(mm): Hind metatarsus length of the lizards
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Hind toe length(mm): Hind toe length of the lizards
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Hind claw length(mm): Hind claw length of the lizards
[The morphological indices of lizards were shown in Figure 2]
Sheet: locomotor performances
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ID: Lizard identity
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Sex: Gender of the lizards
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Soil: Locations where the soil was collected
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Population: Population source where the lizards were collected
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Sprint speed(m/s): The fastest speed of the lizard running over a 20 cm interval
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Average speed(m/s): The average speed was the average speed of the lizard running over a 1 m track
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Burrow length(cm): Length of the lizard-construced burrow
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Burrow width(cm): Width of the lizard-construced burrow
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Burrow height(cm): Height of the lizard-construced burrow
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Burrow volume(cm3): Volume of the lizard-construced burrow
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Burrowing time(min): The time interval between the initiation of substrate excavation and complete bodily submersion, excluding pause intervals
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Burrow speed (cm3/min): Burrow speed=Burrow volume/ Burrowing time
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Snout-vent length (mm): Snout vent length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Abdomen length(mm): Abdomen length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Tail length(mm): Tail length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Head length(mm): Head length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Head height(mm): Head height of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Head width(mm): Head width of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Humerus length(mm): Humerus length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Radius length(mm): Radius length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Fore metacarpus length(mm): Fore metacarpus length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Fore toe length(mm): Fore toe length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Fore claw length(mm): Fore claw length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Femur length(mm): Femur length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Tibia length(mm): Tibia length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Hind metatarsus length(mm): Hind metatarsus length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Hind toe length(mm): Hind toe length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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Hind claw length(mm): Hind claw length of the lizards whose locomotor performances were tested
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rAl: Residual values of abdomen length against snout-vent length
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rTL: Residual values of tail length against snout-vent length
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rHL: Residual values of head length against snout-vent length
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rHH: Residual values of head height against snout-vent length
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rHW: Residual values of head width against snout-vent length
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rHuL: Residual values of humerus length against snout-vent length
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rRL: Residual values of radius length against snout-vent length
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rFML: Residual values of fore metacarpus length against snout-vent length
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rFTL: Residual values of fore toe length against snout-vent length
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rFCL: Residual values of fore claw length against snout-vent length
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rFL: Residual values of femur length against snout-vent length
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rTiL: Residual values of tibia length against snout-vent length
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rHmL: Residual values of hind metatarsus length against snout-vent length
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rHiL: Residual values of hind toe length against snout-vent length
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rHCL: Residual values of hind claw against snout-vent length