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The Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis indicates that parasites may have a negative effect on the appearance of sexual traits within an infected individual. Anolis sagrei, or brown anoles, are small invasive lizards common throughout Florida and many other areas where they have been introduced. The colorful dewlaps under the chins of males are used as a signal during territorial contests with other males and as an ornament to attract females. Anoles may be infected by the malaria parasite Plasmodium floridense. In this study, we investigated the relationship of malarial infection with dewlap color and spectral brightness of A. sagrei. We achieved this by capturing male brown anoles, taking blood samples to examine for malarial infection, and recording the color of their dewlaps. We found that the dewlaps of infected Anolis sagrei had duller coloration than the dewlaps of uninfected lizards. These results provide support for the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis. Our results suggest that infection by P. floridense could potentially influence fitness of the lizards by reducing the expression of their color signals. Additional research on fitness effects of the malaria parasite on anoles is important for fully understanding this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to species across the globe, but the threats to tropical animals have largely been overlooked. Tropical high elevation species are distinctly at risk as they will be unable to disperse to habitats with favorable temperatures in the future. Twenty percent of all lizard species may be faced with extinction. Proctoporus unsaacae and P. sucullucu are two thermoconforming lizard species native to the Central Andes mountains where their habitats are predicted to rise over 38C within the 21st century. Because these species do not thermoregulate behaviorally, we predicted that they would have narrow temperature tolerances and would be vulnerable to climate warming. We collected lizards of these species in Peru and tested their critical thermal maxima (CTmax) by slowly heating them until they were unable to maintain normal bodily functions, measured by muscular spasms. Surprisingly, we found that the species have high thermal tolerance with P. unsaacae averaging 38.28C CTmax and P. sucullucu averaging 39.48C. The difference between CTmax and field active body temperatures for both species exceeded 208C. Based on our results, increased environmental temperature will not directly cause these species to suffer death or activity restriction. We posit that these species of Proctoporus and the few other truly eurythermic lizard species may be particularly well suited to surviving global temperature increases. Although global warming will continue to cause the decline and extinction of species worldwide, more research is needed on species with unusual ecologies before making sweeping statements about the dire fate of reptiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Montane animals require different adaptations than lowland species because of more severe conditions. Proctoporus lizards of the Andes Mountains experience cold temperatures year‐round, which may affect their activity. Two species of this poorly known genus, P. unsaacae and P. sucullucu, have similar morphology and ecology, but had never been studied in detail. The purpose of this project was to compare the population biology of the two species and to ascertain whether they were more likely to share ecological similarities with phylogenetic relatives or with other unrelated lizards of the Andes. We established two permanent plots in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco region, Peru, and examined the thermal ecology, movement, sex ratio, longevity, population sizes, growth patterns, reproduction and other factors over a period of 4 years. Proctoporus unsaacae and P. sucullucu were similar in most aspects of their ecology except that P. sucullcu was larger, had smaller population sizes, and fewer recaptures. Both species live exclusively under rocks and are strict thermoconformers who do not actively thermoregulate their body temperatures by basking, as other high Andean lizards do. The two species have reverse sexual dimorphism with P. unsaacae having larger females and P. sucullcu having larger males. The species are highly philopatric with average movement of less than 7 m in a lifetime. Both appear to be relatively long‐lived with an individual P. unsaacae living longer than 2 years 8 months. At both sites, populations age structures had few juveniles and we detected a declining population of P. unsaacae in Urubamba. This project lays the groundwork for more in‐depth studies of the ecology of both species and their high‐elevation habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florida is home to the largest number of invasive reptile species, including the abundant Anolis sagrei, of any U.S. state. This lizard species has largely displaced the native Anolis carolinensis because of its superior competitive ability and tolerance of urbanized habitats. One facet of the invasion of A. sagrei that has not received attention in the literature is its interactions with parasites, including the malaria protozoan Plasmodium. We studied the relative prevalence of Plasmodium floridense in two Anolis species at three sympatric sites in central Florida to determine the factors that affect the parasite's prevalence, incidence, and effects on blood cell counts. After catching lizards and making blood smears, we examined slides for the presence of Plasmodium and counted relative erythrocyte/ leukocyte ratios. Of the 101 lizards sampled, 31% of A. carolinensis were positive for P. floridense, as opposed to only 11% for A. sagrei. Date of capture was also an important factor, with June having the highest prevalence and March the lowest. Erythrocyte to leukocyte ratios differed with infection, averaging 3.15 ± 1.28 SD in infected lizards versus 4.28 ± 1.03 in uninfected lizards. Reduced infection by blood parasites may have been one of the many factors that allowed A. sagrei to successfully invade Florida and to become the superior competitor throughout its range. Additional studies of the effects of Plasmodium infection on competitive ability and fitness are needed to determine whether infection is a major contributor to invasion success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of being attended my first herpetological meeting in 1993 after completing my Bachelor's degree and before my Master's program had begun.

We report new locality records of Cercosaura vertebralis O'Shaughnessy, 1879 in Peru, after more than 40 years since the discovery of the single known Peruvian specimen. The Peruvian range of Cercosaura vertebralis, which was previously restricted to Piura, is extended into the Cajamarca region (Tabaconas Namballe and La Granja). We also examined intraspecific variation of the species throughout its range and provide a hemipenial description from the new specimens. In addition, we comment on the population status of C. vertebralis in Peru, and provide data supporting the synonymy of C. ampuedai with C. vertebralis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined patterns of community structure and microhabitat requirements of Pristimantis frogs at sites of high geographic proximity in the Tambopata region of southeastern Peru. Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted at five sites encompassing approximately 131 square km of Tambopata Province, including EcoAmazonía (EA), Reserva Amazónica (RA), Explorer's Inn (EI), Sachavacayoc Centre (SC), and Tambopata Research Center (TRC). In addition to sampling and identifying all species of Pristimantis captured, environmental variables, including substrate, perch height, leaf litter depth, tree cover, and time of day, were collected and analyzed. Total frog encounters, species richness, diversity, and community similarity differed significantly among sites. Generally, similarity, richness, and diversity were not closely related to geographic proximity, but total abundance was. More individuals were captured at SC and TRC, whereas more total species were captured at TRC and El. Diversity was the highest at TRC, followed by RA, EI, EA, and SC. Encounters of P. toftae and P. peruvianus also differed significantly among sites, with one species rarely encountered where the other was prevalent. Generally, more individuals of Pristimantis were captured during the wet season at all five sites. Significantly more individuals were captured during the night than the day. Significantly more individuals as well as species were captured on leaves and the ground versus all other substrate types, with more on leaves at night and on the ground during the day. Significantly more adults were captured higher off the ground than Juveniles, with males found higher than females. There was no significant relationship between frog encounters and leaf litter or tree cover. Pristimantis peruvianus was shown to exhibit differences in microhabitat usage from P. toftae. We conclude that many factors contribute to the observed differences in diversity among the sites, requiring future studies that will also examine other environmental variables such as forest type, soil characteristics, and prey availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proctoporus consists of six high-elevation lizard species distributed in the cloud forest and puna habitats of Peru and Bolivia. Proctoporus ecology is poorly understood despite a recent increase in phylogenetic research on the clade. To examine differences in diets among species, stomach contents of Proctoporus from 24 sites in central and southern Peru were analyzed, including individuals of all six species. Feeding niches were compared among the species, and differences caused by species, sex, age class, and body size were examined. Proctoporus ate prey items that were large in relation to lizard body size. Collectively, Proctoporus species had broad diets with 10 different arthropod orders represented. Beetles, ants, and spiders made up the largest proportions of diets. Diet overlap was high among species but did not appear to be directly connected to species relatedness. Sex and age class were not important determinants of diet. Despite the small body size and reclusive nature of Proctoporus lizards, they possess the ability to subdue and consume heterogeneous prey species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Cercosaurini is one of the most poorly studied groups of the lizard family Gymnophthalmidae. Recent studies have suggested that two cercosauriine genera,NeusticurusandProctoporus, are polyphyletic. The aim of the current study was to rectify the polyphyletic relationships and construct a phylogenetic taxonomy of the Cercosaurini that is congruent with evolutionary history.Neusticurusis divided into two genera, one of them new (Potamites), based on the clades recovered by molecular studies and previously discussed morphological data.Proctoporusis divided into three genera, one of which is new (Petracola), while an older name (Riama) is resurrected for another. All five genera are described and defined and taxonomic keys are presented. This study represents an important advance in rectifying the taxonomy of the Cercosaurini. Many other para- and polyphyletic genera remain in the Gymnophthalmidae and much future work on this group is warranted. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London,Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005,143, 405–416. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When rapid changes in environmental factors occur in tropical rain forests, anurans may behaviorally alter their vertical microhabitat in response. Friajes are extreme weather phenomena that bring cold southern winds into Amazonia. Five friaje events during 1997 and 1998 in southern Peru were studied to examine whether anuran populations differed between visual encounter surveys conducted on friaje nights versus non-friaje nights. Anuran diversity, species richness, and number of hylid individuals were significantly greater during friajes in Peru. Friajes alter anuran vertical distributions by causing arboreal frogs to descend to lower levels in order to avoid the cold temperatures and desiccating winds associated with friajes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic studies incorporating multiple loci, and multiple genomes, are becoming increasingly common. Coincident with this trend in genetic sampling, model-based likelihood techniques including Bayesian phylogenetic methods continue to gain popularity. Few studies, however, have examined model fit and sensitivity to such potentially heterogeneous data partitions within combined data analyses using empirical data. Here we investigate the relative model fit and sensitivity of Bayesian phylogenetic methods when alternative site-specific partitions of among-site rate variation (with and without autocorrelated rates) are considered. Our primary goal in choosing a best-fit model was to employ the simplest model that was a good fit to the data while optimizing topology and/or Bayesian posterior probabilities. Thus, we were not interested in complex models that did not practically affect our interpretation of the topology under study. We applied these alternative models to a four-gene data set including one protein-coding nuclear gene (c-mos), one protein-coding mitochondrial gene (ND4), and two mitochondrial rRNA genes (12S and 16S) for the diverse yet poorly known lizard family Gymnophthalmidae. Our results suggest that the best-fit model partitioned among-site rate variation separately among the c-mos, ND4, and 12S + 16S gene regions. We found this model yielded identical topologies to those from analyses based on the GTR+I+G model, but significantly changed posterior probability estimates of clade support. This partitioned model also produced more precise (less variable) estimates of posterior probabilities across generations of long Bayesian runs, compared to runs employing a GTR+I+G model estimated for the combined data. We use this three-way gamma partitioning in Bayesian analyses to reconstruct a robust phylogenetic hypothesis for the relationships of genera within the lizard family Gymnophthalmidae. We then reevaluate the higher-level taxonomic arrangement of the Gymnophthalmidae. Based on our findings, we discuss the utility of nontraditional parameters for modeling among-site rate variation and the implications and future directions for complex model building and testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim The lizard genus Proctoporus Tschudi, 1845 was used as a model to test the South-to-North Speciation Hypothesis (SNSH) for species groups occurring in the Andes Mountains of South America. This hypothesis proposes that speciation of high Andean taxa followed a south-to-north pattern, generally coinciding with the progression of final uplift of the Andes. According to SNSH, a phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships of a taxonomic group occurring in the high Andes would show a branching pattern in which the southernmost species diverged first, followed by the more northern species, and so on in a northerly pattern. Location The central and northern Andes Mountains in South America. Methods A phylogenetic hypothesis was reconstructed for all species of the lizard genus Proctoporus by examining the external morphology of 341 individuals. This phylogeny was then examined to determine monophyly of the genus, distribution patterns of species groups, and congruence with SNSH. Results The genus Proctoporus did appear to be monophyletic and, therefore, it was valid to use this group to assess SNSH. The southernmost species were found to be the most basal, which was consistent with SNSH. The species occurring in the northern Andes did not exactly match the SNSH prediction. The Venezuelan and Trinidadian species did appear to be highly derived, as predicted by the hypothesis, but the Ecuadorian and Colombian species did not form a particular pattern in relation to the hypothesis. Main conclusions The SNSH does appear to have predictive power with regard to large-scale distribution patterns. The finer-scale patterns of speciation in the Andes, however, appear to be a more complex phenomenon that cannot be fully explained by a simple hypothesis. It is important to have a testable hypothesis in hand with which to compare data from disparate species groups. The incorporation of phylogenetic data of other high Andean taxa with similar distribution patterns is... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the poor state of knowledge of many of the gymnophthalmid genera, systematic revision is necessary to render the classification consistent with evolutionary history. To that end, I conducted a review of the species of three genera of the Cercosaurinae which appear to form a monophyletic group:Cercosaura, Pantodactylus, and Priono-dactylus. Phylogenetic analysis of 61 morphological characters was conducted after specimens of all species were examined to evaluate the composition of each taxon. The phylogenetic reconstruction suggested that the genus Pri-onodactylus was paraphyletic. A new phylogenetic classification is proposed that synonymizesPantodactylus and Prionodactylus with Cercosaura. Cercosaura is redefined to include 11 species and seven subspecies. A key is provided to distinguish among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses replacing co-editors Tiffany Doan and Paul Bartelt by John Rowe and Chris Distel as the new co-editors of the Journal. Topics discussed include finding of reviewers for each manuscript by the former associate editors; effort of former editors for the manuscript strengthening; and expectation of the new ideas and insights for the Journal by the new co-editors.

Aim: Squamate fitness is affected by body temperature, which in turn is influenced by environmental temperatures and, in many species, by exposure to solar radiation. The biophysical drivers of body temperature have been widely studied, but we lack an integrative synthesis of actual body temperatures experienced in the field, and their relationships to environmental temperatures, across phylogeny, behaviour and climate. Location: Global (25 countries on six continents). Taxa: Squamates (210 species, representing 25 families). Methods: We measured the body temperatures of 20,231 individuals of squamates in the field while they were active. We examined how body temperatures vary with substrate and air temperatures across taxa, climates and behaviours (basking and diel activity). Results: Heliothermic lizards had the highest body temperatures. Their body temperatures were the most weakly correlated with substrate and air temperatures. Body temperatures of non‐heliothermic diurnal lizards were similar to heliotherms in relation to air temperature, but similar to nocturnal species in relation to substrate temperatures. The correlation of body temperature with air and substrate temperatures was stronger in diurnal snakes and non‐heliothermic lizards than in heliotherms. Body‐substrate and body‐air temperature correlations varied with mean annual temperatures in all diurnal squamates, especially in heliotherms. Thermal relations vary with behaviour (heliothermy, nocturnality) in cold climates but converge towards the same relation in warm climates. Non‐heliotherms and nocturnal species body temperatures are better explained by substrate temperature than by air temperature. Body temperature distributions become left‐skewed in warmer‐bodied species, especially in colder climates. Main Conclusions: Squamate body temperatures, their frequency distributions and their relation to environmental temperature, are globally influenced by behavioural and climatic factors. For all temperatures and climates, heliothermic species' body temperatures are consistently higher and more stable than in other species, but in regions with warmer climate these differences become less pronounced. A comparable variation was found in non‐heliotherms, but in not nocturnal species whose body temperatures were similar to air and substrate irrespective of the macroclimatic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including changes in herpetology; understanding reverse amphibian population declines; and future challenges to be expected by lizard ecologists.

Aim: Viviparity has evolved more times in squamates than in any other vertebrate group; therefore, squamates offer an excellent model system in which to study the patterns, drivers and implications of reproductive mode evolution. Based on current species distributions, we examined three selective forces hypothesized to drive the evolution of squamate viviparity (cold climate, variable climate and hypoxic conditions) and tested whether viviparity is associated with larger body size. Location: Global. Time period: Present day. Taxon: Squamata. Methods: We compiled a dataset of 9061 squamate species, including their distributions, elevation, climate, body mass and reproductive modes. We applied species‐level and assemblage‐level approaches for predicting reproductive mode, both globally and within biogeographical realms. We tested the relationships of temperature, interannual and intra‐annual climatic variation, elevation (as a proxy for hypoxic conditions) and body mass with reproductive mode, using path analyses to account for correlations among the environmental predictors. Results: Viviparity was strongly associated with cold climates at both species and assemblage levels, despite the prevalence of viviparity in some warm climates. Viviparity was not clearly correlated with climatic variability or elevation. The probability of being viviparous exhibited a weak positive correlation with body size. Conclusions: Although phylogenetic history is important, potentially explaining the occurrence of viviparous species in regions that are warm at present, current global squamate distribution is characterized by a higher relative abundance of viviparity in cold environments, supporting the prediction of the "cold‐climate" hypothesis. The roles of climatic variation and hypoxia are less important and not straightforward. Elevation probably exerts various selective pressures and influences the prevalence of viviparity primarily through its effect on temperature rather than on oxygen concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Clutch size is a key life‐history trait. In lizards, it ranges over two orders of magnitude. The global drivers of spatial and phylogenetic variation in clutch have been extensively studied in birds, but such tests in other organisms are lacking. To test the generality of latitudinal gradients in clutch size, and their putative drivers, we present the first global‐scale analysis of clutch sizes across lizard taxa. Location: Global. Time period: Recent. Major taxa studied: Lizards (Reptilia, Squamata, Sauria). Methods: We analysed clutch‐size data for over 3,900 lizard species, using phylogenetic generalized least‐square regression to study the relationships between clutch sizes and environmental (temperature, precipitation, seasonality, primary productivity, insularity) and ecological factors (body mass, insularity, activity times, and microhabitat use). Results: Larger clutches are laid at higher latitudes and in more productive and seasonal environments. Insular taxa lay smaller clutches on average. Temperature and precipitation per se are unrelated to clutch sizes. In Africa, patterns differ from those on other continents. Lineages laying small fixed clutches are restricted to low latitudes. Main conclusions: We suggest that the constraint imposed by a short activity season, coupled with abundant resources, is the main driver of large‐clutch evolution at high latitudes and in highly seasonal regions. We hypothesize that such conditions – which are unsuitable for species constrained to laying multiple small clutches – may limit the distribution of fixed‐clutch taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Understanding the mechanisms determining species richness is a primary goal of biogeography. Richness patterns of sub‐groups within a taxon are usually assumed to be driven by similar processes. However, if richness of distinct ecological strategies respond differently to the same processes, inferences made for an entire taxon may be misleading. We deconstruct the global lizard assemblage into functional groups and examine the congruence among richness patterns between them. We further examine the species richness – functional richness relationship to elucidate the way functional diversity contributes to the overall species richness patterns. Location: Global. Methods: Using comprehensive biological trait databases we classified the global lizard assemblage into ecological strategies based on body size, diet, activity times and microhabitat preferences, using Archetypal Analysis. We then examined spatial gradients in the richness of each strategy at the one‐degree grid cell, biome, and realm scales. Results: We found that lizards can best be characterized by seven "ecological strategies": scansorial, terrestrial, nocturnal, herbivorous, fossorial, large, and semi‐aquatic. There are large differences among the global richness patterns of these strategies. While the major richness hotspot for lizards in general is in Australia, several strategies exhibit highest richness in the Amazon Basin. Importantly, the global maximum in lizard species richness is achieved at intermediate values of functional diversity and increasing functional diversity further result in a slow decline of species richness. Main conclusions: The deconstruction of the global lizard assemblage along multiple ecological axes offers a new way to conceive lizard diversity patterns. It suggests that local lizard richness mostly increases when species belonging to particular ecological strategies become hyper‐diverse there, and not because more ecological types are present in the most species rich localities. Thus maximum richness and maximum ecological diversity do not overlap. These results shed light on the global richness pattern of lizards, and highlight previously unidentified spatial patterns in understudied functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Variation in body size across animal species underlies most ecological and evolutionary processes shaping local‐ and large‐scale patterns of biodiversity. For well over a century, climatic factors have been regarded as primary sources of natural selection on animal body size, and hypotheses such as Bergmann's rule (the increase of body size with decreasing temperature) have dominated discussions. However, evidence for consistent climatic effects, especially among ectotherms, remains equivocal. Here, we test a range of key hypotheses on climate‐driven size evolution in squamate reptiles across several spatial and phylogenetic scales. Location: Global. Time period: Extant. Major taxa studied: Squamates (lizards and snakes). Methods: We quantified the role of temperature, precipitation, seasonality and net primary productivity as drivers of body mass across ca. 95% of extant squamate species (9,733 spp.). We ran spatial autoregressive models of phylogenetically corrected median mass per equal‐area grid cell. We ran models globally, across separate continents and for major squamate clades independently. We also performed species‐level analyses using phylogenetic generalized least square models and linear regressions of independent contrasts of sister species. Results: Our analyses failed to identify consistent spatial patterns in body size as a function of our climatic predictors. Nearly all continent‐ and family‐level models differed from one another, and species‐level models had low explanatory power. Main conclusions: The global distribution of body mass among living squamates varies independently from the variation in multiple components of climate. Our study, the largest in spatial and taxonomic scale conducted to date, reveals that there is little support for a universal, consistent mechanism of climate‐driven size evolution within squamates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Small geographic ranges make species especially prone to extinction from anthropogenic disturbances or natural stochastic events. We assemble and analyse a comprehensive dataset of all the world's lizard species and identify the species with the smallest ranges-those known only from their type localities. We compare them to wide-ranging species to infer whether specific geographic regions or biological traits predispose species to have small ranges. Location Global. Methods We extensively surveyed museum collections, the primary literature and our own field records to identify all the species of lizards with a maximum linear geographic extent of <10 km. We compared their biogeography, key biological traits and threat status to those of all other lizards. Results One in seven lizards (927 of the 6,568 currently recognized species) are known only from their type localities. These include 213 species known only from a single specimen. Compared to more wide-ranging taxa, they mostly inhabit relatively inaccessible regions at lower, mostly tropical, latitudes. Surprisingly, we found that burrowing lifestyle is a relatively unimportant driver of small range size. Geckos are especially prone to having tiny ranges, and skinks dominate lists of such species not seen for over 50 years, as well as of species known only from their holotype. Two-thirds of these species have no IUCN assessments, and at least 20 are extinct. Main conclusions Fourteen per cent of lizard diversity is restricted to a single location, often in inaccessible regions. These species are elusive, usually poorly known and little studied. Many face severe extinction risk, but current knowledge is inadequate to properly assess this for all of them. We recommend that such species become the focus of taxonomic, ecological and survey efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Although most reptiles are oviparous, viviparity is a common mode of reproduction in squamates and has evolved multiple times in different lineages. We test two prevailing hypotheses regarding the biogeography of reptile reproductive modes to evaluate the selective forces driving the evolution of viviparity in snakes. The cold climate hypothesis posits that viviparity is selected for in cold climates, whereas the climatic predictability hypothesis predicts that viviparity is advantageous in seasonal climates. Location Global. Methods We collated detailed distribution maps and reproductive mode data for 2663 species of the world's terrestrial alethinophidian snakes. We studied the relationship between snake reproductive mode and environmental predictors. We applied both an ecological and an evolutionary approach to study snake reproductive mode by performing the analyses at the assemblage level and species level, respectively. We analysed our data at the global and continental scales to learn whether tendencies to viviparity are similar world-wide. Results We found strong support for the cold climate hypothesis and the assumption that viviparity is an adaptation to cold environments. There was little support for the climatic predictability hypothesis. Nonetheless, viviparous species are not restricted to cold environments. Main conclusions We conclude that viviparity is adaptive in cold climates, but not necessarily in unpredictable/seasonal climates. Current distributions may not reflect the climate at the time and place of speciation. We suspect many viviparous snakes inhabiting warm climates are members of lineages that originated in colder regions, and their occurrence in maladaptive environments is a result of phylogenetic conservatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Temperature influences most components of animal ecology and life history - but what kind of temperature? Physiologists usually examine the influence of body temperatures, while biogeographers and macroecologists tend to focus on environmental temperatures. We aim to examine the relationship between these two measures, to determine the factors that affect lizard body temperatures and to test the effect of both temperature measures on lizard life history. Location World-wide. Methods We used a large (861 species) global dataset of lizard body temperatures, and the mean annual temperatures across their geographic ranges to examine the relationships between body and mean annual temperatures. We then examined factors influencing body temperatures, and tested for the influence of both on ecological and life-history traits while accounting for the influence of shared ancestry. Results Body temperatures and mean annual temperatures are uncorrelated. However, accounting for activity time (nocturnal species have low body temperatures), use of space (fossorial and semi-aquatic species are 'colder'), insularity (mainland species are 'hotter') and phylogeny, the two temperatures are positively correlated. High body temperatures are only associated with larger hatchlings and increased rates of biomass production. Annual temperatures are positively correlated with clutch frequency and annual longevity, and negatively correlated with clutch size, age at first reproduction and longevity. Main conclusions Lizards with low body temperatures do not seem to have 'slower' life-history attributes than species with high body temperatures. The longer seasons prevalent in warm regions, and physiological processes that operate while lizards are inactive (but warm enough), make environmental temperatures better predictors of lizard life-history variation than body temperatures. This surprisingly greater effect of environmental temperatures on lizard life histories hints that global warming may have a profound influence on lizard ecology and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]