Anolis lizards are one of the most diverse vertebrate genera and are the classic example of adaptive radiation and convergent evolution. Anoles exhibit great morphological diversity produced by the ecological opportunity to exploit several arboreal niches. Anole radiation in the Caribbean islands is well studied, but the mainland radiation is less understood. We used a large morphological data set and a molecular phylogeny to describe the morphological diversification of anoles from northwestern South America, a region with the highest anole diversity on a mainland. We describe morphological diversity as summarized by ten morphotypes, defined mainly by body size, limb proportions, and subdigital lamellae. We show that some morphotypes are limited to forested lowlands and others to Andean highlands; by contrast, Anolis assemblages from tropical rainforests are comprised of the same four morphotypes. We demonstrate that morphological diversification followed a pattern of adaptive radiation across a landscape of adaptive peaks. Our results are consistent with the most recent hypothesis of convergence stated for Caribbean radiation, and demonstrate convergence between mainland morphotypes and Caribbean ecomorphs, which suggests that common processes are driving both radiations. © 2016 The Linnean Society of London

No abstract

Habitat fragmentation and loss affect population stability and demographic processes, increasing the extinction risk of species. We studied Anolis heterodermus populations inhabiting large and small Andean scrubland patches in three fragmented landscapes in the Sabana de Bogotá (Colombia) to determine the effect of habitat fragmentation and loss on population dynamics. We used the capture-mark-recapture method and multistate models to estimate vital rates for each population. We estimated growth population rate and the most important processes that affect k by elasticity analysis of vital rates. We tested the effects of habitat fragmentation and loss on vital rates of lizard populations. All six isolated populations showed a positive or an equilibrium growth rate (k = 1), and the most important demographic process affecting k was the growth to first reproduction. Populations from landscapes with less scrubland natural cover showed higher stasis of young adults. Populations in highly fragmented landscapes showed highest juvenile survival and growth population rates. Independent of the landscape's habitat configuration and connectivity, populations from larger scrubland patches showed low adult survivorship, but high transition rates. Populations varied from a slow strategy with low growth and delayed maturation in smaller patches to a fast strategy with high growth and early maturation in large patches. This variation was congruent with the fast-slow continuum hypothesis and has serious implications for Andean lizard conservation and management strategies. We suggest that more stable lizard populations will be maintained if different management strategies are adopted according to patch area and habitat structure.Abstract in Spanish is available in the online version of this article.

The coexistence of several anoles in the same place is attributed to differential partitioning of resources. Although several mainland and island communities show a similar structure, differences in life-history traits, absence of niche complementarity, higher food supply and higher numbers of predators in mainland environments support the idea that predation, rather than competition, is a more important structuring force in mainland than in island anole communities. To analyse the pattern of ecological structure in mainland anole communities, we studied communities in three tropical rain forests of north-western South America to obtain data about the use of resources on three niche axes [spatial, thermal and morphological (as a proxy of diet)] for 17 species of anoles. We analysed the patterns of niche overlap for each axis and found that overlap on the dietary axis was less than the overlap on the other axes, indicating that species using similar spatial or thermal resources diverge strongly in their diet. In addition, we identified a niche complementarity among niche axes, suggesting that intraspecific competition is also an important process in those communities. Finally, this study revealed a similar ecological structure in different communities of mainland rain-forest anoles, which share seven ecomorphs, suggesting ecological adaptation and convergence in mainland anoles.

Background The Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is the largest crocodile and the most threatened by extinction in the Neotropics due to overexploitation for the skin trade during the early–middle twentieth century. Knowledge of their ecology is poor in Colombia because long-term armed conflict has restricted fieldwork. In 2015, we reintroduced four captive-reared adult crocodiles, each equipped with a Sirtrack KiwiSat 202 satellite transmitter and monitored their movements from 2015 to 2018. Results Seasonal movements were as far 177 km in males and 115 km in females. Home ranges were as large as 55 km2 for males and 16 km2 for females for a single year and 178 km2 and 21 km2, respectively, for males and females over 2 years. Spatial ecological patterns changed drastically by season, with males increasing their home range and females reducing home range during the wet season. We confirmed that daily activity patterns defined as measure by number of locations across the day were not influenced by season. Conclusions We believe that seasonal changes in the size and shape of home ranges were associated with patrolling or exploratory behaviors after release, while daily activity behavior was independent of season, sex or size of the animal.

No abstract

Caldasia 37(1): 183-195. 2015 RESUMENSe presenta una caracterización de la fauna de reptiles del valle seco del río Magdalena en el departamento del Huila, así como la comparación faunística entre unidades de cobertura vegetal y épocas climáticas. Se registraron 31 especies pertenecientes a 30 géneros, 17 familias y dos órdenes. En el orden Squamata, la familia más diversa fue Teiidae (lagartijas) con tres especies y Colubridae (serpientes) con nueve. Para el orden Testudines se registró una especie. Con base en curvas de acumulación de especies y los estimadores no paramétricos Jackknife 2 y Bootstrap, para las lagartijas se obtuvo una alta representatividad en el muestreo (83% y 92% respectivamente), mientras que para las serpientes fue menor (75% y 82% respectivamente). La estructura y composición de los ensambles de reptiles en cada unidad de cobertura vegetal no fue significativamente diferente, en general se caracterizaron por presentar pocas especies con muchos individuos y numerosas especies raras. El arbustal presentó la mayor riqueza de especies seguido del bosque de ribera y los cultivos de cacao. En general la abundancia de reptiles fue mayor en la época de lluvias que en la época seca, sin embargo la manera en que responden las especies a las épocas climáticas está dada por sus características ecológicas, fisiológicas y comportamentales.Palabras clave. Reptiles, ensamble de especies, abundancia, curvas de acumulación de especies. ABSTRACTWe describe the assemblages of reptiles from the dry valley of the Magdalena River in Huila department, and a comparison of assemblages between the predominant vegetation coverages and climatic seasons. We recorded 31 species belonging to 30 genera from seventeen families. Within lizards, Teiidae was the most diverse family with three species, and within snakes, Colubridae with nine species. The Order Testudines was represented by one species. Based on the species accumulation curves and the non-parametric Jackknife 2 and Bootstrap estimators, we obtained high representativity for the lizard survey (83% and 92%, respectively) and lower for snakes (75% and 82%, respectively). Reptile assemblages of each vegetation coverage did not differ significantly in structure and composition, and in general are characterized by few abundant and many rare species. Scrubland was the species-richest vegetation coverage, followed by riverine forests and cacao plantations. In general, the abundance

Los textos pueden ser citados total o parcialmente citando la fuente.