Comprehensive evaluation of environmental adaptability in wild and captive Teratoscincus roborowskii: gut microbiota, metabolomic profiles, and physiology

Animal gut microbiota play important roles in host immunity, nutrient metabolism and energy acquisition. Captivity significantly affects the abundance and community structure of gut microbiota. In this study, controlled feeding experiments were performed, and 16 S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics were applied to investigate the gut microbiota, metabolite profiles and physiology of wild and captive T. roborowskii . Our results demonstrated that the dominant microbial components among the groups consisted of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria while there were also Verrucomicrobia enriched in wild lizards and Fusobacteria increased in individuals fed mealworms. Furthermore, compared with the wild group, gut microbiota diversity of T. roborowskii was reduced by captivity. Higher metabolic activity was found in wild T. roborowskii , with significant enrichment of amino acid and linoleic acid metabolism pathways. In contrast, altered lysine degradation was observed in individuals fed mealworms and cockroaches in a 1:1 ratio. Wild lizards showed higher α-amylase and cellulase activities, while captive lizards with a high-protein diet exhibited elevated trypsin activity. Moreover, captive lizards showed higher leukocyte counts, whereas a higher antioxidant capacity was found in wild lizards. Captivity significantly affected the Chao1 index, but no significant differences were observed in other alpha-diversity indices. Notably, captivity altered community structure in T. roborowskii , leading to changes in metabolism and digestive enzyme activities, along with trends in immune status, whereas wild individuals exhibited enhanced metabolic adaptability and antioxidant capacity. Our study offers valuable insights into the gut microbiota of desert lizards, and a theoretical basis for host health management under captive conditions.