In the present study, we investigated potential effects of some environmental climatic factors on life-history traits of twoDarevskia parvulapopulations located at different elevation sites and evaluated age, body size, SSD and growth rate results in these lizards. The age at maturity and longevity were found to be similar in both populations. Males of the highland population had significantly larger snout-vent length and older age than those of the lowland population. Although the mean ages of females were not significantly different between the two populations, the highland population had significantly larger snout-vent length than the lowland population. Considering all individuals (both males and females), we found that specimens from the population in the higher-elevation site had significantly larger snout-vent length and older age than those of the lower-elevation site. A low level of male-biased sexual size dimorphism was observed in both populations. The growth coefficient was lower in the high-elevation site than the lower elevation site. Growth rates were not significantly different between the populations. Our preliminary results indicate that although our studied populations were located at different elevation sites and had distinct climate, longevity, age at sexual maturity and growth rate results were similar. This may be a reason of the lower male-biased sexual size dimorphism in both populations.
We investigated age structure, body size and longevity in two breeding populations of Darevskia clarkorum inhabiting altitudes ranging from 450 m a.s.l. (Kamilet) to 2250 m a.s.l. (Başyayla) in Turkey by skeletochronology performed on the phalanges. The mean age was found to be 6 years in the Kamilet population and 7 years in the Başyayla population. The maximum life span was 10 years in the lowland population while it was 12 years in the highland population. Age at sexual maturity of both males and females was 1-2 years in the lowland population while it was 2-3 for both sexes in the highland population. Both age and SVL of specimens from the Kamilet population were significantly different between the sexes while age and SVL did not differ significantly between the sexes in Başyayla population. As a conclusion, we observed that the mean age, longevity and age at maturity were increased by altitude while there was a decrease based on the mean SVL in the highland population of D. clarkorum. Our data on body size, longevity and age at sexual maturity may contribute to conservation efforts for this endangered species.
distinguished from P. t. tauricus by the following: large SVL; more pointed head; the tail length is nearly twice the length of the head and body; thickness of neck not constricted; frontal shield as long as frontoparietal; occipital shield as long as or a little longer than the interparietal shield; feebly keeled dorsum scales; less-pointed caudal scales (Lehrs, 1902). P. t. thasopulae is different from P. t. tauricus in having a more yellowish and mustard-colored ventral region, and a brownish and bronze-colored middle part of the dorsum.
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