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Trophic ecology of the mountain lizard, Liolaemus monticola (Mller & Hellmich, 1932), an endemic species of the central Andes of Chile

Trophic ecology of the mountain lizard, Liolaemus monticola (Mller & Hellmich, 1932), an endemic... Knowledge of trophic ecology is fundamental for understanding feeding strategies and niche dynamics, which can provide information on the vulnerability and conservation status of some poorly known species, such as Liolaemus monticola, a rock-dwelling lizard endemic to the central Andes of Chile. We studied its trophic ecology, analysing its diet and the availability of prey during three activity seasons (summer, autumn and spring). The results show that L. monticola is insectivorous, preying on epigean arthropods. The most frequent prey is formicid ants, on which it feeds in a greater proportion than that at which they occur in the environment. The annual diet is less variable than the seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of prey in the environment. We conclude that L. monticola is a trophic specialist with a preference for the ants Camponotus morosus, Araucomyrmex hypocritus and Brachymyrmex giardii. This diet presupposes an equilibrium between the relative toxicity of the ants, the energy cost of dealing with the prey and detoxification. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Journal of Zoology CSIRO Publishing

Trophic ecology of the mountain lizard, Liolaemus monticola (Mller & Hellmich, 1932), an endemic species of the central Andes of Chile

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Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s). Published by CSIRO Publishing
ISSN
0004-959X
eISSN
1446-5698
DOI
10.1071/ZO17033
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Knowledge of trophic ecology is fundamental for understanding feeding strategies and niche dynamics, which can provide information on the vulnerability and conservation status of some poorly known species, such as Liolaemus monticola, a rock-dwelling lizard endemic to the central Andes of Chile. We studied its trophic ecology, analysing its diet and the availability of prey during three activity seasons (summer, autumn and spring). The results show that L. monticola is insectivorous, preying on epigean arthropods. The most frequent prey is formicid ants, on which it feeds in a greater proportion than that at which they occur in the environment. The annual diet is less variable than the seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of prey in the environment. We conclude that L. monticola is a trophic specialist with a preference for the ants Camponotus morosus, Araucomyrmex hypocritus and Brachymyrmex giardii. This diet presupposes an equilibrium between the relative toxicity of the ants, the energy cost of dealing with the prey and detoxification.

Journal

Australian Journal of Zoology – CSIRO Publishing

Published: Jul 9, 2018

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