ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Herpetozoa Jahr/Year: 2018 Band/Volume: 31_1_2 Autor(en)/Author(s): Hernandez-Gallegos Oswaldo, Lopez-Moreno Ana Esthela, Mendez-de la Cruz Fausto R., Walker James M. Artikel/Article: Home range of the parthenogenetic lizard Aspidoscelis maslini (FRITTS, 1969), on a beach strand 83-86 All_Short_Notes:SHORT_NOTE.qxd 02.09.2018 11:02 Seite 1 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 31 (1/2) Wien, 30. August 2018 SHORT NOTE 83 Home range to cozumelus as recommended by REEdER et of the parthenogenetic lizard al. (2002). unfortunately: (1) anthropogenic ef - Aspidoscelis maslini (FRiTTS , 1969), fects on the open sand beaches by the de - on a beach strand velopment of tourism infrastructure may jeopardize the existence of parthenogenetic Home range is the area within which lizards ( HERNáNdEZ -G AllEGOS et al. 2015), an animal moves to acquire resources ( ROSE including A. maslini , and (2) most studies 1982) including food, shelter, mating part - including the herpetofauna of the Yucatán ners in gonochoristic species, nesting sites Peninsula are concerned with diversity (HiRTH 1963; GuTiéRREZ & O RTEGA 1985) rather than knowledge of ecological rela - and to escape predators; it may vary in size tionships ( CHARRuAu et al. 2015). The and shape inter- and intra-specifically with present study includes information about the biotic and abiotic factors ( PéREZ -P éREZ et structure of the home ranges of individuals al. 2017). in certain lizard species, biotic of A. maslini , which was compared with that factors such as foraging mode and absence of other lizards, including both gonochoris - of mating activities (e.g., in parthenogenetic tic and parthenogenetic species within the species of the genus Aspidoscelis REEdER , genus Aspidoscelis . COlE & d ESSAuER , 2002) can influence the This study was conducted at a tropical home range and movement patterns even sand beach located in km 95 of the Ciudad where actively foraging species (e.g., liz - del Carmen-Champotón highway, Cam - ards of the genus Aspidoscelis ) exhibit larg - peche, Yucatán Peninsula, mexico (19°4’ er home ranges ( HulSE 1981; VERWAijEN & 35.62” N, 91°3’57.76” W). The habitat is VAN dAmmE 2008). The diploid partheno - composed of halophytic vegetation with genetic whiptail lizard, Aspidoscelis maslini high levels of sunlight, salinity and strong (FRiTTS , 1969) , is a product of natural inter - winds; the vegetation comprises both erect specific hybridization between female Aspi - and prostrate plants of both shrubby and doscelis angusticeps (COPE , 1878), and male herbaceous form ( TéllEZ -V AldEZ et al. Aspidoscelis deppii (WiEGmANN , 1834), as 1989). The females of A. maslini actively demonstrated by genetic studies ( mORiTZ et use this beach strand community for thermo - al. 1992; REEdER et al. 2002; mANRíquEZ - regulation, foraging, burrowing, oviposition mORAN et al. 2014) . The descendants from and protection from predators ( HERNáNdEZ - these progenitors are exclusively female. GAllEGOS personal observation); to the According to lEE (1996), this species is authors’ knowledge, A. maslini is the only oviparous, terrestrial, diurnal, carnivorous species of whiptail lizard at the study site. and a wide-ranging forager; moreover, in Two seasons can be defined at the Yucatán contrast to other Aspidoscelis , females of A. Peninsula: dry season (march-may), and maslini are unwary and can be approached rainy season (june-February). Precipitation closely. Typical habitats selected by A. occurs from November to February on cool maslini include open sand beaches within its overcast days, called ‘nortes’, which signifi - geographic range, viz. parts of the Yucatán cantly decrease the temperature. in an area Peninsula of mexico, Belize, and northern of 4,000 m 2, nine samples of A. maslini were Guatemala ( lEE 1996). Although HERNáN- taken from 1999 to 2001 during different cli - dEZ -G AllEGOS et al. (2015) recorded the matic seasons including the lizard’s repro - home ranges of individuals of Aspidoscelis ductive season ( HERNáNdEZ -G AllEGOS et al. cozumelus (GAdOW , 1906), on isla de Cozu - 2003). An opportunity to add to this study mel, mexico, there is no data pertaining to more recently was not forthcoming; how - the home ranges of individuals of A. mas - ever, studies such as that of AlVAREZ et al. lini . Nomenclature for the Cozumel species (2017) have emphasized the importance of of Aspidoscelis is based on STEYSkAl (1971) documenting all possible sites and conditions who explained the basis for treating this of occupancy for species as a basis for under - generic name as of masculine rather than standing responses to long-term changes feminine gender. Consequently, TuCkER et al. in bioclimatic conditions. Thus, validly ob - (2016) corrected the spelling of cozumela tained scientific data on a little-known spe - All_Short_Notes:SHORT_NOTE.qxd 02.09.2018 11:02 Seite 2 84 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 31 (1/2) Wien, 30. August 2018 SHORT NOTE Fig. 1: Spatial composition of home ranges of the parthenogenetic lizard, Aspidoscelis maslini (FRiTTS , 1969), from Champotón, Campeche, mexico. Each polygon represents the home range of one female ( N = 8). Scale bar = 10 meters. Arrow points to the north. cies remains perpetually applicable within a tory overlaps with conspecifics were largely historical context. The information the pres - absent (Fig. 1, Table 1). ent analysis is based upon originates from The average home range size of A. samplings ocurred from 1999 to 2001, how - maslini represents the smallest within the ever according to díAZ dE lA VEGA -P éREZ et genus Aspidoscelis recorded to date ( PERRY al. (2013; sampligs from 2008 to 2012) and & G ARlANd 2002), including both parthe - méNdEZ -d E lA CRuZ (personal observation; nogenetic [616 m 2 in Aspidoscelis unipa - evaluation during 2015), the study site did rens (WRiGHT & l OWE , 1965) , HulSE 1981; not change markedly since then with respect 45.1 m 2 in A. cozumelus , HERNáNdEZ -G Al- to habitat structure, lizard community and the lEGOS et al. 2015] and gonochoristic species population of A. maslini . [400 m 2 in Aspidoscelis tigris (BAiRd & during each sampling, capture-mark- GiRARd , 1852), jORGENSEN & T ANNER 1963; recapture techniques were conducted and the 306 m 2 in Aspidoscelis hyperythrus (COPE , date, time of day, and snout-vent length (to 1863), R OWlANd 1992] . This result con - the nearest millimeter) were recorded. trasts with theoretical predictions of broad using a drift fence trap, females were cap - home ranges for widely foraging species tured during their activity period (09:00- (HulSE 1981; ROWlANd 1992; VERWAijEN & 18:00 h). individuals were located in the VAN dAmmE 2008). Reduced home ranges at study area based on a bi-coordinate refer - coastal habitats in other species of lizards ence using 10 m x 10 m subdivisions of the including both sit and wait predators ( RO- habitat. To calculate a female’s home range, CHA 1999; kACOliRiS et al. 2009) and wide two or more recaptures were considered; foraging species ( HiRTH 1963) have been home ranges were calculated using the con - recorded previously. vex polygon method in mCPAAl (micro - Thermoregulatory benefits may ex - computer Program for the Analysis of Ani - plain the small home range at open sand mal locations) software package, version beach habitats for A. cozumelus (HERNáN- 1.2 (m. Stüwe 1985, Conservation and dEZ -G AllEGOS et al. 2015). in contrast with Research Center, National Zoological Park, previous studies, A. maslini in Champotón, Smithsonian institution, Washington, d.C.) Campeche, is thermally stressed, inhabiting (HERNáNdEZ -G AllEGOS et al. 2015). environments with low thermal quality (díAZ A total of 70 females were captured: dE lA VEGA -P éREZ et al. 2013), i.e., reduced 62 were recaptured once, six two times, and availability of thermally advantageous mi - two three times. Females with two or more cro habitats, and both energy and time invest - recaptures (N = 8) , based on the date of last ed in movements associated with the ther - capture for each lizard (Table 1), averaged moregulation are relatively high ( CAdENA & 69.1 ± SE 0.6 mm (range 65-71 mm) in SVl. TATTERSAll 2009). How ever, this popula - A total of eight home ranges that averaged tion exhibits a very high population density 34.9 ± 9.6 m 2 (range 0.7-79.7 m 2) in area, (HERNáNdEZ -G AllEGOS 2004; díAZ dE lA and covered a period of 207.1 ± 49.5 days VEGA -P éREZ et al. 2013; méNdEZ -d E lA (range 106-420 days), were obtained. Terri - CRuZ personal observation; evaluation dur - All_Short_Notes:SHORT_NOTE.qxd 02.09.2018 11:02 Seite 3 SHORT NOTE HERPETOZOA 31 (1/2) Wien, 30. August 2018 SHORT NOTE 85 Table 1: Body size, capture and home range data from eight individuals of the parthenogenetic lizard Aspidoscelis maslini (FRiTTS , 1969), on a beach strand in Campeche, Yucatán Peninsula, mexico . SVl α – Snout- vent-length upon first capture, SVl ω – Snout-vent-length upon last recapture, duration (days) – Number of days elapsed between first capture and last recapture. 2 lizard id (number SVl α (mm) – date SVl ω (mm) – date duration (days) Home range (m ) of recaptures) 2-14 (2) 58 – 04/19/1999 69 – 08/04/1999 107 27.7 2-15 (2) 54 – 04/19/1999 65 – 08/04/1999 107 1.1 2-16 (2) 59 – 04/19/1999 69 – 08/04/1999 107 33.8 3-10 (2) 60 – 04/19/1999 69 – 08/04/1999 107 0.7 3-14 (2) 62 – 04/19/1999 70 – 08/03/1999 106 32.0 8-17 (2) 51 – 08/04/1999 70 – 07/28/2000 359 61.3 3-9 (3) 55 – 04/19/1999 71 – 03/28/2000 344 42.9 5-20 (3) 61 – 06/03/1999 70 – 07/27/2000 420 79.7 ing 2015) , which may explain the unusually ACkNOWlEdGmENTS: This study was small home ranges observed, as stated pre - funded by the Theodore Roosevelt memorial Fund of the American museum of Natural History (grants 1999 viously in the small home range in A.