Diet of the Yarrow's Spiny Lizard Sceloporus jarrovii in the Central Chihuahuan Desert

摘要

We studied seasonal dietary patterns of Sceloporus jarrovii from a desert environment northwest of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico. Stomach contents were examined (n == 82) and relative abundance and volume were determined. Formicids (ants) were the most abundant prey in all seasons. Other abundant foods were coleopterans (summer, winter) and isopterans (autumn, winter). Based on relative abundance in all seasons, S. jarrovii had a narrow breadth of diet, but relative volume of foods was broader. Overlap between sexes for relative abundance and volume was high throughout the year. However, low overlap in relative volume in spring indicated variation in diet between sexes. Three of the most common prey throughout the year varied significantly between sexes in length, width, and volume. However, volumes of the three most abundant foods were not correlated with snout--vent length of lizards.