Home Ranges and Body Size of Lizards

Abstract

The relationship between home range, A (m 2 ) and body weight, W (g) among adults of 13 species of terrestrial lizards was estimated as: A = 171.4W 0 . 9 5 . The slope of the logarithmic regression is steeper than that relating standard metabolic rate, M (cm 3 O 2 /hr) at 30°C and body weight: M = 0.82W 0 . 6 2 . These functions are compared with similar regressions relating the home ranges and basal metabolic rates of birds and mammals to body size. Two major difficulties in the interpretation of such data are discussed.