Microhabitat-specific thermal response patterns and spatiotemporal activity in the Snake-eyed Lizard ( Ophisops elegans )

Microhabitat selection is central to ectotherm ecology, influencing thermoregulation, activity, and spatiotemporal activity patterns. We studied the thermal ecology and sex- and age-class encounter patterns of the Snake-eyed Lizard (Ophisops elegans) in two adjacent agricultural microhabitats in western Anatolia: a structurally complex Agroforestry Mosaic Habitat (AMH) and an exposed Open Cropland Thermal Habitat (OCTH). From March to September 2024, we collected 1,031 observations recording sex, age, ambient temperature, and activity timing. Thermal responses differed markedly: OCTH activity was tightly temperature-constrained with a defined optimum (Topt = 34.4°C), while AMH showed a weak, statistically non-significant thermal response (p = 0.336), precluding reliable estimation of a thermal optimum. OCTH displayed a more concentrated seasonal activity peak, though daily timing was similar between sites. Sex ratios showed no clear seasonal variation in AMH but varied seasonally in OCTH, with increased female encounter probability in mid-August–early September (p = 0.002). Juvenile occurrence also differed: AMH showed low juvenile occurrence with no clear thermal/temporal structure, while OCTH supported high, temperature- and time-constrained juvenile activity (p < 0.005). These findings suggest fine-scale microhabitat heterogeneity in agricultural landscapes may be associated with differences in temperature-linked spatiotemporal activity patterns within populations, though with only one site per type, habitat and site effects cannot be fully separated. Further studies are needed to confirm these patterns.