Data from: Morphological variations in toad-headed agama: Potential responses to diverse microhabitats

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.