Effects of acute low temperature stress on the endocrine reactions of the Qinghai toad-headed lizard

Endocrinological action is generally thought to be a way for animals to respond to stress at low temperatures. To learn the role of hormones in ectotherms inhabiting alpine environments, we studied the effects of acute low temperature exposure on the endocrinological reactions of Qinghai toad-headed lizards in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We monitored plasma corticosterone and insulin concentration of the lizards under five low temperature treatments. We found no significant difference in plasma corticosterone or insulin in lizards among our five different treatments. For males and females the correlation between plasma corticosterone and insulin concentrations was not significant. In contrast to other studies on reptiles at low altitude, we suggest that due to the alpine environment (low temperature and low oxygen concentration) they inhabit, Qinghai toad-headed lizards respond to experimental cold stress slightly to mobilize energy and live their vivid life. In addition, corticosterone and insulin of Qinghai toad-headed lizards are secreted independently along with low temperature treatments [Current Zoology 57 (6): 775-780, 2011].