Comparative diet of three sympatric Sceloporus in the semiarid Zapotitlán Valley, Mexico

Abstract

ECOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY, AND PHYLOGENY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION OF LIZARD ASSEMBLAGES; HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF LIZARD ASSEMBLAGES FOR WHICH DETAILED KNOWLEDGE OF CLOSELY RELATED SYMPATRIC SPECIES IS AVAILABLE IS LIMITED. WE STUDIED THE DIET OF 3 SYMPATRIC SPECIES OF LIZARDS (SCELOPORUS GADOVIAE, S. HORRIDUS, AND S. JALAPAE) FROM ARID TROPICAL SCRUB FOREST IN PUEBLA, MEXICO. THESE SPECIES PREY PRIMARILY ON ARTHROPODS, MOSTLY TERMITES, ANTS, AND BEETLES. SPRING AND SUMMER RAINS CAUSED AN INCREASE IN AVAILABLE PREY BIOMASS. HOWEVER, LIZARDS CONTINUED USING THE SAME RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE STUDY. THESE 3 SPECIES OF SCELOPORUS ARE SIMILAR IN THEIR DIET, ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER BODIED SPECIES, S. GADOVIAE AND S. JALAPAE. TERMITES ARE A VERY IMPORTANT FOOD FOR THE 3 SPECIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ARE A MAJOR RESOURCE DURING THE RAINY SEASON, WHICH IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE HYPOTHESIS THAT MANY LIZARDS EAT TERMITES ONLY IN THE DRY SEASON.