Late bloomers and baby boomers: ecological drivers of longevity in squamates and the tuatara

Abstract

Aim Longevity is an important life-history trait, directly linked to the core attributes of fitness (reproduction and survival), yet large-scale comparative studies quantifying its implications for the ecology and life history of ectotherms are scarce. We tested the allometry of longevity in squamates and the tuatara, and determined how longevity is related to key environmental characteristics and lifehistory traits. Predictions based on life-history theory are expected to hold true for ectotherms, similarly to mammals and birds.