Sex and temperature

1988/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

In this case, the temperature at the time of developing the embryo marks the sex of the newborn, whether male or female will be born.

However, in the case of the "panther geko" this problem of sex is more complicated. The Gekoa panther is a lizard shaped reptile that inhabits Iran and Pakistan. Studies on this reptile indicate that incubation temperature, in addition to marking sex, also affects the behavior of adult females.

Geko males are born between 29 and 32 °C and females between 26 and 32 °C. Analyzing G adults you can know the incubation temperature. W. Gutzket and D. American biologists Crews, born at 26 °, 29 ° and 32 ° C, have a usual attitude. Conversely, those born at 32°C behave like males when they are in front of them and as females when they are in front of females. Those born at 29°C have a confused behavior: in the same situation, they sometimes behave as males and others as females. They seem to be in unstable balance.

Pantera G males do not show such behaviors and always act as males.