Data of "<b>Altitude correlates with dorsal −but not ventral− scale number and dimension in a lacertid lizard</b>"

The primary function of the keratinised skin of squamates is modulating heat load, reducing water loss rates and protecting from abrasion. Furthermore, reptilian scale size and shape variation have also been observed depending on the habitat and associated environmental conditions. However, how climate can modulate intraspecific scale characteristics of reptile species in temperate regions is still a subject of debate. Here, we investigate the potential correlation between climate and lizard scalation for a European lacertid lizard. From 221 museum collection specimens of <i>Podarcis muralis</i>, we recorded body measurements and sex information and counted the number and size of dorsal scales and the number of ventral scales per individual. We obtained each specimens’ capture location information from which we extracted environmental data like temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation and altitude. We found that individuals that inhabited higher elevations tended to have fewer and larger dorsal scales than those from lowlands, as a potential adaptation to decrease water loss in arid and windy environments. We did not find a correlation between the number of ventral scales and environmental conditions, except for wind speed. This study uncovers an intraspecific adaptive mechanism in an environment gradient that is key to understanding species' potential adaptation to future climatic conditions.有鳞类（Squamates）的角质化皮肤的核心功能为调节热负荷、降低水分流失速率以及抵御磨损。此外，已有研究表明爬行动物鳞片的大小与形态变异会随栖息生境及相关环境条件的变化而改变。然而，在温带地区，气候如何调控爬行动物物种的种内鳞片特征，目前仍是一个存在争议的议题。本研究以一种欧洲正蜥科蜥蜴为对象，探究气候与蜥蜴鳞片特征之间的潜在关联。我们选取了221件馆藏于博物馆的壁蜥（*Podarcis muralis*）标本，记录了每头标本的躯体测量数据与性别信息，并统计了个体的背鳞数量、背鳞大小以及腹鳞数量。我们获取了每件标本的捕获地点信息，并从中提取了温度、降水量、湿度、风速、太阳辐射与海拔等环境数据。研究发现，相较于低海拔地区的个体，栖息于高海拔区域的壁蜥个体背鳞数量更少但背鳞更大，这可能是对干旱多风环境下降低水分流失的适应性演化策略。除风速外，我们未发现腹鳞数量与其余环境条件存在关联。本研究揭示了环境梯度下的种内适应性机制，这对于理解物种对未来气候条件的潜在适应能力至关重要。