Metabolism of the Spade-Headed Amphisbaenian Worm Lizard, Diplometopon zarudnyi (Nikolsky, 1907), in Saudi Arabia (Reptilia: Trogonophidae)

Abstract The oxygen consumption rate V O 2 . d lactate production of the Amphisbaenian worm lizard Diplometopon zarudnyi were measured at temperatures ranging from 15 °C – 35 °C at 5° C intervals. The V O 2 . s significantly different between resting and active states at any specified temperature, while the average value at the resting state generally rose with increased temperature from 15 °C (0.05 ml O 2 /g/hr) to 25 °C (0.111 ml O 2 /g/hr). The aerobic respiration scopes at resting and active states were also significantly different. The highest Q10 values (3.24 and 1.69) were obtained at 15 °C - 20 °C and 30 °C – 35 °C during resting and active states, respectively, with these values being significantly different. Lactate concentrations were significantly higher during active states than when resting, and the anaerobic scope was found to increase with increased temperature. There was a proportional increase in ATP molecules (μmoles/g/2min) during aerobic or anaerobic respiration, as well as in total metabolic scope, with increasing temperature, and the anaerobic scope showed significantly higher values than the aerobic scope, confirming the importance of anaerobic behaviour for this species.