Context Translocation has become an increasingly common tool in the conservation of species. Understanding the movement patterns of some species can be important to minimise loss of individuals from the translocation release site. Aims To describe seasonal and sex-biased movements within populations of an endangered Australian lizard. Methods We monitored seasonal movement in the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis) by using pitfall trapping, with a total of 49 440 trap-nights from three sites over 2 years. Other studies have shown that individual pygmy bluetongue lizards normally remained closely associated with their spider burrow refuges, with very little movement. Thus, we interpreted any captures detected through pitfall trapping as out of burrow movements. We investigated whether there was any seasonal, age or sex bias in moving individuals. Key results We found that male pygmy bluetongue lizards were more likely to move than were females. After adults, neonates were the second-most captured age class. Spring was the peak movement time for adults, whereas movement of neonates occurred in autumn. Key conclusions The majority of movement can be attributed to males in the breeding season, whereas females move very little. Implications The present study provides some baseline data that would allow more informed decisions about the most appropriate individuals in a population to choose for a translocation program and the times to conduct translocations to allow the maximum chance for establishment.
13Studies have revealed an unsuspected complexity in social systems within a few lizard 14 species, including group living, long-term monogamy and individual recognition of partners 15 or offspring. Comparisons among these species and their relatives could provide valuable 16 insights, allowing us to investigate traits that are shared across social systems and identify 17 general principles relating to the evolution of sociality. The endangered pygmy bluetongue 18 lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis, is a member species in the Egernia group, but is thought to show 19 a more solitary social structure than other members in this group. Within this study we used 20 microsatellite markers to determine the mating system of T. adelaidensis. Unlike many other 21 species in the Egernia group, we found a predominately promiscuous mating system in T. and the ability to recolonize newly available habitat and avoid inbreeding (Greenwood 1980). 45Many species have evolved social mechanisms and mating systems in large, continuous 46 habitats, but now occupy isolated fragments of habitat, with consequential impacts on their 47 dispersal and mating systems (Stow et al. 2001, Levy et al. 2010. Knowledge of the mating 48 system and how it has changed with restricted dispersal is an important component in the 49 sustained management of these species. 50How have different mating systems and levels of sociality evolved among related species? where they ambush passing invertebrate prey (Hutchinson et al. 1994, Milne et al. 2003. However, the secretive lifestyle of this species makes it difficult to observe whether there are 104 any social associations among neighbouring lizards, or whether the mating system is 105 polygamous as may be predicted if this is a more asocial species. We used genetic analysis to 106 identify the parents of juvenile pygmy bluetongue lizards in populations from two locations, 107and to determine the mating system used by this species. We had two aims. The first was to (Table 6). That is, there was no evidence that partners were chosen non-297 randomly from among neighbouring lizards with respect to relatedness. 298Further evidence that relatives were not discriminated against as mating partners, came from 299 three offspring resulting from matings between partners with relatedness values of 0.500, 300 0.365 and 0.297 (Table 5). In each case other less related individuals were available as 301 partners from among neighbouring lizards ( In our study, males were recorded as far as 100 m away from the females they mated with. 332Records of mating have all been in the spring (October) (Milne et al. 2003, Fenner and Bull 333 2009). This is the time when other observations have suggested that males of this normally 334 sedentary lizard are actively moving around (and exposed to predation). It is the time of year 335 when a male lizard was found inside a brown snake stomach in 1992 when the species was 336 re-discovered (Armstrong and Reid 1992), and also the time of year when Schofield et al. 337(...
Temperate native grasslands are listed as a critically endangered ecological community in South Australia, yet very little is known about the associated faunal communities. This study aims to provide information on the temporal dynamics of a native grassland reptile community in the midnorth of South Australia. during the study we made 335 reptile captures in pitfall traps, of 248 different individuals, from 13 species, representing five families. These data were used to investigate seasonal trends in trapping rate, age demographics and movement of individuals from marked recaptures. The results of the study provide baseline information on species assemblages that might be used in the recovery and management of the remaining fragments of temperate native grasslands and the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard that relies on those fragments for its persistence.
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