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Ecology of Whiptail Lizards (Cnemidophorus) in the Amazon Region of Brazil

1997; American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists; Volume: 1997; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/1447292

1938-5110

Laurie J. Vitt, Peter A. Zani, Janalee P. Caldwell, Maria Carmozina de Araújo, William E. Magnusson, Maria Carmozina de Araújo,

Animal Behavior and Reproduction

We compared microhabitat use, morphology, diets, and reproduction in three populations of Cnemidophorus lemniscatus (Alter do Chio, Curua-Una, and Roraima) and one population of C. cryptus (Rio Xingu) in the Amazon region of Brazil. Cnemidophorus lemniscatus were most common in grasslands or other open areas, but C. cryptus was restricted to sandy beach. A greater percentage of C. cryptus than C. lemniscatus were observed foraging. Morphologically, C. lemniscatus populations were identical. Females of C. cryptus (all-female species) were larger than females of C. lemniscatus. Based on numerical occurrence of prey, diets of C. lemniscatus from Alter do Chao and Curua-Una were more specialized than those for C. lemniscatus from Lavrado or C. cryptus from the Rio Xingu. Based on volumetric occurrence of prey, C. lemniscatus from Alter do Chao were most specialized, feeding primarily on fruits of one plant species. Also based on volumetric data, diet of C. lemniscatus from Curua-Una was most similar to that of C. cryptus. Lizards from Alter do Chao and Curua-Una ate larger prey than did those from the other two sites. Concordandy, lizards in these two populations ate fewer prey. Clutch size varied from one to four eggs in C. lemniscatus and from one to two eggs in C. cryptus, and there was a significant relationship between female size and clutch size. Ecological variation exists among populations of Amazonian Cnemidophorus. Overall, there were no ecological differences that could not be explained simply on the basis of habitat or resource differences among localities.