Produção Nacional
Activity and microhabitat use by the endemic whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus nativo (Teiidae), in a restinga habitat (Setiba) in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil
2008; Volume: 3; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2994/1808-9798(2008)3[89
ISSN1982-355X
AutoresPedro L. V. Peloso, Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha, Silvia Pavan, Sérgio Lucena Mendes,
Tópico(s)Plant and animal studies
ResumoWe studied activity and habitat use by the teiid lizard Cnemidophorus nativo in Parque Estadual Paulo César Vinha (PEPCV), an area located near the southernmost limit of the species distribution – the Restinga of Setiba in the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Activity of C. nativo was estimated by hourly transects from 07:00 to 18:00 h searching for lizards. Lizard activity was expressed by the frequency of active individuals in each hour interval. Microhabitat use by C. nativo was measured along 20 one-hour transects of lizard search in different areas of PEPCV. For every lizard seen we recorded the microhabitat it was using at the moment of first sight. Cnemidophorus nativo (N = 73) was active mainly from 07:00–14:00 h with a peak of activity from 09:00–11:00 h, when approximately 80% of the individuals were observed. The main microhabitats used by C. nativo at PEPCV were bare sand and vegetation edges (nearly 70% of the individuals recorded). No significant difference was found in habitat use between adults and juveniles. We concluded that Cnemidophorus nativo from Setiba has an activity concentrated in the morning, with activity decreasing when air temperature in the habitat is near the peak, and that its preferred microhabitats in the area are open sand or vegetation edges.
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