Living with your food: geckos in termitaria of Cantão

Abstract

We tested three non-exclusive hypotheses that the lizard, Gymnodactylus carvalhoi, lives in termitaria to avoid thermal extremes, to avoid predators, or because of an abundance of food (dietary specialist). We first confirm that these geckos are restricted to termitaria in the region studied. Body temperatures (T b ) of geckos averaged below environmental temperatures during day outside of termitaria and above outside temperatures at night; T b averaged only slightly higher than temperatures inside termitaria. We conclude that thermal constraints in Cerrado habitats lacking rocks restrict Gymnodactylus to termite nests. High frequencies of tail loss and the presence of many potential predators within termitaria suggest high encounter rates with predators, indicating that predation pressure does not restrict these geckos to termite nests. Dietary data indicate that G. carvalhoi is a termite specialist. Published data indicate that other Gymnodactylus species and populations are also termite specialists, even though several live primarily outside termitaria (in crevices and under rocks). An evolutionary history of termite specialization and low thermal requirements in the clade (Gymnodactylus) predispose them to feed on termites within the termitaria.

Direct and Short-Term Effects of Fire on Lizard Assemblages from a Neotropical Savanna Hotspot

“…In contrast, the largely arboreal Chlamydosaurus kingii (Agamidae) escapes fires by climbing to treetops or by sheltering in hollow tree trunks and termitaria (Braithwaite, 1987;Griffiths and Christian, 1996;Andersen et al, 2005). Termites are highly diverse and abundant in the Cerrado, providing food and shelter for many lizard species Vitt et al, 2007b;Costa et al, 2008). Large logs may also serve as barriers against low intensity fires in forest habitats; humid leaf litter that accumulates below logs may shelter small animals (Andrew et al, 2000).…”

Microhabitat Variation Explains Local‐scale Distribution of Terrestrial Amazonian Lizards in Rondônia, Western Brazil

“…Some studies have found a positive association between lizard richness and termites in savanna-like environments (Morton & James 1988, Costa et al 2008). Nests offer favorable microhabitats for oviposition (Vitt et al 2007a, Knapp & Owens 2008, thermal requirements (Vitt et al 2007b), and shelter (Vitt & Caldwell 1993), and can influence distributions at the microhabitat scale (Vitt et al 2007a). Nests offer favorable microhabitats for oviposition (Vitt et al 2007a, Knapp & Owens 2008, thermal requirements (Vitt et al 2007b), and shelter (Vitt & Caldwell 1993), and can influence distributions at the microhabitat scale (Vitt et al 2007a).…”

Chromosomal Evolution in the Brazilian Geckos of the Genus <i>Gymnodactylus</i> (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) from the Biomes of Cerrado, Caatinga and Atlantic Rain Forest: Evidence of Robertsonian Fusion Events and Supernumerary Chromosomes

“…We could therefore tentatively assume that these specimens are fertile and that the chromosomal polymorphism is fixed in the population from the UHE Serra da Mesa. These lizards are territorial with activities either restricted to the interior or the surroundings of termite mounds, where they live in small groups and are especially abundant, or under rocks or fallen trunks [Colli et al, 2003;Vitt et al, 2007]. Thus, it is possible that their population structure may explain the origin, distribution and maintenance of this variation.…”