Home range analysis of Teratoscincus roborowskii in the Turpan Basin, Northwestern China: insights from VHF tagging technology

The home range (HR) of an animal encompasses the area utilized during activities such as foraging, mating, and other routine behaviors, with its size reflecting behavioral patterns and ecological niche. Factors influencing HR size include sex, body size, and diet, with sex and body size being the most significant determinants. The Teratoscincus roborowskii, or Turpan Wonder Gecko, is endemic to the Turpan Basin of Xinjiang, northwestern China, yet its HR during the breeding period remains understudied. This research employed radio-tracking methods to evaluate the HR of T. roborowskii during the breeding season, focusing on influences from sex and body size. Our study involved radio telemetry of 11 individuals from June to July in 2020 and 2021. We quantified total and core HR sizes using the Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) methods. Results via MCP revealed total and core HR sizes of 7894.06 ± 2672.87 m2 and 4852.41 ± 2045.55 m2, respectively. Males exhibited larger HRs than females; however, the difference was not statistically significant (df = 3, p = 0.196, n = 11). A significant correlation was found between Snout-vent Length (SVL) and HR size (r = 55, p = 0.002, n = 11), indicating that lizards with larger SVLs occupied larger HRs, regardless of sex. Comparison with mark-recapture methods showed that HR sizes were 4-5 times larger when measured via radio-tracking. This study provides critical insights into the activity range and influencing factors of T. roborowskii during the breeding period, contributing essential data for its conservation efforts.