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Food consumption rate and temperature selection of male and female Uromastyx philbyi were measured during the spring. Mass-specific food consumption rates of this herbivorous desert lizard were lower than those of other lizard species. The exponents of body mass in relation to food consumption were 0.80, 0.78 and 0.69 for male, non-gravid and gravid females, respectively. Gravid females had significantly the lowest mass-specific food consumption rates. Both sexes selected significantly higher mean body temperatures in photophase than in scotophase over the 24-h period. Gravid females chose the highest mean selected body temperatures and spent a longer time at higher temperatures. The adaptive significance of these variations in food consumption rate and temperature selection is discussed. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.