Final answer:
Lizards are ectothermic and behaviorally regulate their temperature by basking on warm rocks to heat up and seeking shade to cool down. During estivation, their heart rate and breathing slow to conserve energy. Statement c is correct, indicating a lizard will exhibit these behaviors to protect itself while maintaining essential functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the provided information, the correct statement about lizard behavior in relation to temperature regulation is that lizards regulate their body temperature behaviorally in their environments. As ectothermic animals, lizards rely on external heat sources. When it's cold, they may bask on warm rocks to increase their body temperature, which, as mentioned in the introduction, is vital for their survival because it allows their muscles to move more rapidly. Conversely, they will seek shade to avoid overheating and dehydration, and during estivation, which is a state of dormancy in response to high temperatures, their breathing and heart rate will slow down, and they'll focus only on essential activities required for sustaining their living state.
In this context, the correct statements are those that describe the lizard's behavior aimed at protecting itself from predation and water loss, and slowing down its physiological processes during estivation. It is important to note that while basking in the sun is critical for lizards to warm up and be more active, seeking shade and reducing physiological activity is key for survival in excessively hot periods.
We can therefore conclude that the statement reflecting the lizard's behavior for temperature regulation, protection from predators, and minimal water loss during estivation with a slowed heart rate is statement c.