The study of the thermal biology of reptiles in the world and in the USSR/Russia 1. The study of the thermal biology of reptiles in foreign countries

This article describes the history and patterns of research on the thermal biology of reptiles abroad. The first publications on this subject appeared in the 40s of the XIX century. Their general analysis up to the present moment is given. More than 180 years of studies in the reptiles’ thermal biology have accumulated a huge amount of factual material of field and laboratory observations, special laboratory experiments. The ecology, geographical distribution, habitat use, thermal biology, particularly physiology and physiological ecology of many species of reptiles are studied. However, unfortunately, due to the old, insufficiently correct methods of primary data collection and processing used for more than 100 years, the obtained materials and conclusions are often erroneous. In addition, there is still no developed general concept of this scientific direction and no unified system of characters.