Linking Phenotypic Variation to Developmental Conditions: A Population-Phenogenetic Study of Lacerta agilis

We analyzed intraspecific phenotypic variability relation to experimentally established dependencies of phenotypic traits on developmental conditions. As a model system, we examined meristic variation in the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) across the European part of its range. At both the level of individual traits and their combined expression, of the spatial patterns of phenotypic diversity largely corresponds to experimentally identified trends in phenotype changes associated with developmental temperature, indicating a substantial role of habitat conditions in shaping phenotypic differentiation and the direction of genetic change. Deviations from these trends were observed in several intraspecific groups and were consistent with previously documented patterns of genetic differentiation. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of an approach that interprets phenotypic variability through experimentally derived relationships between phenotype and developmental conditions, providing a promising framework for large-scale studies of intraspecific diversity in this and other species.