Data from: Spatial patterns in the size of Chinese lizards are driven by multiple factors

Background: For almost two centuries, ecologists examined
geographical patterns in the evolution of body size and the associated
determinants. During that time, one of the most common patterns to have
emerged is the increase in body size with increasing latitude (referred to
as Bergmann’s rule). Typically, this pattern is explained in terms of an
evolutionary response that serves to minimize heat loss in colder
climates, mostly in endotherms. In contrast, however, this rule rarely
explains geographical patterns in the evolution of body size among
ectotherms (e.g., reptiles). Location: China Aim: In this study, we
assembled a dataset comprising the maximum sizes of 211 lizard species in
China and examined the geographical patterns in body size evolution and
its determinants. Specifically, we assessed the relationship between body
size and climate among all lizard species and within four major groups at
both assemblage and interspecific levels. Results: Although we found that
the body size of Chinese lizards was larger in warmer regions, we
established that at the assemblage level, size was correlated with
multiple climatic factors, and that body size–climate correlations
differed within the four major groups. Phylogenetic analysis at the
species level revealed that no single climatic factor was associated with
body size, with the exception of agamids, for which size was found to be
correlated with temperature. Main conclusions: Geographical patterns in
Chinese lizard body size are driven by multiple factors, and overall
patterns are probably influenced by those of the major groups. We suggest
that our analyses at two different levels may have contributed to the
inconsistent results obtained in this study. Further studies investigating
the effects of altitude and ecological factors are needed to gain a more
comprehensive understanding of the evolution of ectotherm body size.