Changes

{{unfinished}}

{{review}}

[[Image:Anolis_carolinensis_mating.jpg|200px|thumb|right|'''Two Carolina anoles mating''' (Wikicommons)]]

[[Image:Carolina_anoles_mating.jpg|300px|thumb|right|'''Two [[Green Anole|Carolina anoles]] mating''' (© Cowenby, Wikimedia Commons)]]

 

Lizards have breeding seasons determined by cycles of photoperiod, temperature, rainfall, and food availability. A corresponding fluctuation can be seen in male lizards and testicular size. Male lizards may also undergo behavioural changes during breeding season and become more territorial and aggressive.

Lizards have breeding seasons determined by cycles of photoperiod, temperature (most common), rainfall, and food availability. A corresponding fluctuation can be seen in male lizards and testicular size. Male lizards may also undergo [[Lizard Behaviour|behavioural]] changes during breeding season and become more territorial and aggressive.  

Lizard reproductive strategies vary; they may be:

Lizard reproductive strategies vary; they may be:

* oviparous - laying eggs (most lizards)

* '''oviparous''' - laying eggs (most lizards)

* ovoviviparous - the eggs are retained within the female until birth of live young (all monitors, most iguanids, water dragons, all geckos, most chameleons)

* '''ovoviviparous''' - the eggs are retained within the female until birth of live young (all [[Monitor|monitors]], most iguanids, [[Water Dragon|water dragons]], all geckos, most [[Chameleon|chameleons]])

* viviparous - live-bearing, with a placental type of circulatory connection (blue-tongued skinks, shingle-backed skink, prehensile-tailed skink, Jackson's chameleon)

* '''viviparous''' - live-bearing, with a placental type of circulatory connection (blue-tongued skinks, [[Stump-tailed Skink|shingle-backed skink]], [[Prehensile-tailed Skink|prehensile-tailed skink]], [[Chameleon|Jackson's chameleon]])

* parthenogenic - asexual reproduction found in lizards such as certain ''Lacerta'' spp. and whiptail lizards (Aspidocelis [''Cnemidophorus''] spp.) consisting entirely of females. Although they reproduce asexually, these females still show courting and pseudocopulation.

* '''parthenogenic''' - asexual reproduction found in lizards such as certain ''Lacerta'' spp. and whiptail lizards (''Aspidocelis'' [''Cnemidophorus''] spp.) consisting entirely of females. Although they reproduce asexually, these females still show courting and pseudocopulation.

Parthenogenesis has been reported in about 30 species of lizards.  

Parthenogenesis has been reported in about 30 species of lizards.  

==Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination==

==Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination==

A few species of lizards, such as the leopard gecko (''Eublepharis macularius'') have temperature-dependent sex determination where the sex of the developing fetus is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. The exact temperatures are species dependent; however the shift from one sex to the other is not absolute. A range of temperatures exists at which both sexes are produced at varying proportions and therefore most incubators used by breeders are not accurate.

A few species of lizards, such as the [[Leopard Gecko|leopard gecko]] (''Eublepharis macularius'') have temperature-dependent sex determination where the sex of the developing fetus is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. The exact temperatures are species dependent; however the shift from one sex to the other is not absolute. A range of temperatures exists at which both sexes are produced at varying proportions and therefore most incubators used by breeders are not accurate.

* Mader, D.R. (2005). ''Reptile Medicine and Surgery''. Saunders. pp. 1264. ISBN 072169327X

* Mader, D.R. (2005). ''Reptile Medicine and Surgery''. Saunders. pp. 1264. ISBN 072169327X