Transfer of selenium from prey to predators in a simulated terrestrial food chain

Little is known about the accumulation and effects of selenium in reptiles. We developed a simplified laboratory food chain where we fed commercial feed laden with seleno- d, l-methionine (30 μg/g dry mass) to crickets ( Acheta domestica) for 5–7 d. Se-enriched crickets (∼15 μg/g Se [dry mass]) were fed to juvenile male and female lizards ( Sceloporus occidentalis) for 98 d while conspecifics were fed uncontaminated crickets. Lizards fed contaminated prey accumulated Se concentrations ranging from 9.3 (in female carcass) to 14.1 (in female gonad) μg/g compared to