Reproductive characteristics of three Mediterranean lizards: Psammodromus algirus (L), Psammodromus hispanicus Fitzinger and Acanthodactylus erythrurus (Schinz)

Pérez-Quintero, Juan Carlos

doi:10.1163/156853896x00388

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…However, some females showing light orange colouration had already been reported even in Central Spain (Pollo, unpubl.). Present results show that, at least in population s from NE Spain, the main head pattern is bright yellow (see also PÉREZ-QUINTERO, 1996) and is equally (or even more) frequent in females than in males. Both sexes show essentially the same pattern of seasonal variation and size dependence.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Sources of Colour Pattern Variation in Mediterranean Psammodromus Algirus

Carretero

2002

Neth J Zool

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Colour pattern and its relation to sex, size and season were investigated in three coastal populations of Psammodromus algirus from NE Spain. Eight pattern variables, as well as body size and reproductive parameters, were recorded for 430 specimens. Results show that yellow head pattern was present in both males and females and depended on body size and locality. Furthermore, its seasonal variation was associated with reproductive activity in males. Orange infralabials appear almost exclusively in adult males. Blue ocelli constitute a potential size signal in intraspeci c interactions, especially in males. The attainment of sexual maturity modi ed tail colour (antipredatory) and dorsolateral stripes (cryptic). Bright spots on hindlimbs varied between sites. Colour pattern is interpreted as a trade-off between different selective pressures including crypsis and intraspeci c interactions. Most pattern variation is due to body size differences and only secondarily to sexual dimorphism. A hypothesis invoking differences in social system is proposed to explain the striking differences between these populations and those from Central Spain.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Sources of Colour Pattern Variation in Mediterranean Psammodromus Algirus

Carretero

2002

Neth J Zool

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“…The mean clutch size has been established at 4.9 and 5.4 eggs in the south-western and central Iberian Peninsula, respectively (Díaz, 1994;Pérez-Quintero, 1996). Consequently, the two nests described in the present work correspond to the clutches of approximately six and eight females (A Coruña and Granada populations, respectively) and thus exemplify communal nesting.…”

Section: Death-feigning Insupporting

confidence: 51%

“…Clutch size of P. algirus ranges from 2 to 11 eggs (Pérez-Mellado, 1998), although this number correlates with maternal body size (Pérez-Quintero, 1996). The mean clutch size has been established at 4.9 and 5.4 eggs in the south-western and central Iberian Peninsula, respectively (Díaz, 1994;Pérez-Quintero, 1996).…”

Section: Death-feigning Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arntzen¹,

Goudie

Halley

et al. 2004

Amphib Reptilia

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“…However, we found statistical evidence for a strong relationship between clutch size and female length in only the first deposition, whereas the relationship was quite low and not statistically supported in the second one. The clutch size/ female size relationship has been found either absent or unclear in some European lacertids, such as Psammodromus hispanicus (Pascual & Pérez-Mellado, 1989;Perez-Quintero, 1996), Acanthodactylus erythrurus (Castilla et al, 1992;Perez-Quintero, 1996), Podarcis melisellensis (Bejakovic et al, 1995), P. hispanica (Braña, 1996), and P. lilfordi (Castilla & Bauwens, 2000b).…”

Section: Reproductive Output and Female Sizementioning

confidence: 99%

Studying the reproductive biology of the common wall lizard using ultrasonography

et al. 2012

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Ultrasound imaging is a promising technique for studying the reproductive biology of reptiles, but it has yet to be validated for small lizards in field research. This study aimed both at assessing the reliability of ultrasound imaging in field research and the measurement of the breeding effort and timing of reproduction in the northern Italian female population of the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis. To this end, we kept 22 gravid females in captivity in April and June 2010 and used ultrasonography to predict the number of eggs they laid. The following year, we applied the same technique to monitor the breeding performance of females in their natural habitat. We collected 119 females between March and June 2011 and used ultrasonography to evaluate clutch size and egg developmental stage. Our results showed that 20 out of 22 females (91%) laid the exact number of eggs predicted. The field research showed that the percentage of gravid females varied over the season, showing a clear bimodal pattern with two peaks in late April and late May. These peaks corresponded to the first and second clutch depositions, respectively. Furthermore, female common wall lizards reach sexual maturity at a body size of 50–51 mm snout–vent length, at around 2 years of age. Mean clutch size in our population ranged from 2 to 5.5 eggs, with an average of 3.6 eggs. There was a strong positive relationship between clutch and female size, which was only statistically significant in the first deposition. The female lizards in our study were smaller than those in French and central European populations, they reached maturity at 50.9 mm and they laid few eggs. In this paper, we discuss some potential explanations for such differences.

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Reproductive characteristics of three Mediterranean lizards: Psammodromus algirus (L), Psammodromus hispanicus Fitzinger and Acanthodactylus erythrurus (Schinz)

Cited by 12 publications

References 0 publications

Sources of Colour Pattern Variation in Mediterranean Psammodromus Algirus

Sources of Colour Pattern Variation in Mediterranean Psammodromus Algirus

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Studying the reproductive biology of the common wall lizard using ultrasonography

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