Data from: Snake oil in action: Geographic and seasonal variability in epidermal lipids shape evaporative water loss in snakes

Many reptiles inhabit deserts, where there is a benefit to minimizing
evaporative water loss (EWL) due to the risks to water balance imposed by
the extreme heat and dryness. We compared the EWL of desert versus
Mediterranean snakes and the content and composition of their epidermal
lipids, which form the primary barrier against evaporation. We
obtained shed skins from two farm-grown species (a desert specialist
viper, Echis coloratus, and its Mediterranean
relative, Daboia palaestinae) and from 17 captive snake species
of both Mediterranean and desert origins, kept under identical conditions.
Total EWL was measured in live snakes using flow-through respirometry.
Cutaneous EWL was approximated in vitro through the shed skin, and
epidermal lipids were quantified following extraction in n-hexane and
identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
(UPLC-MS).