Uma ecologia incomum para o gênero Cnemidophorus: o caso de Cnemidophorus lacertoides (Squamata: Teiidae) em um habitat de restinga do sul do Brasil

Abstract

This study presents aspects of the ecology of the whiptail lizard Cnemidophorus lacertoides at the restinga habitat of Dunas da Joaquina, in Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. This population presents the known northernmost record for the species. The lizards were collected during the day, on December of three consecutive years, using rubber bands and glue-traps. The peak of activity occurred between 12:00 h and 15:00 h. The mean body temperature of active lizards was (35.0 + 2.9º C) relatively lower than the other whiptail and was significantly influenced by environmental (air and substrate) temperatures. All individuals were found on the ground, and most of them were under herbaceous vegetation or on open sand. The average snout-vent-length of individuals was 56.5 ± 4.4 mm and the mean body mass was 4.4 ± 1.1 g. Male and female C. lacertoides were not significantly different in body size, but males had significantly greater values of head width and jaw length which may result from the intrasexual selection acting in males to favor access to females. Cnemidophorus lacertoides consumed 12 types of prey, with ants and spiders being the most important items. Unexpectedly, lizards did not consume termites, which tend to be very important items in the diets of most whiptails. We conclude that the population of Cnemidophorus lacertoides from the Dunas da Joaquina deviates from the typical whiptail ecology because much of its ecological features, such as activity period, activity body temperature diet composition and similarity in length among sexes differ from those of most other cnemidophorines of similar size studied so far.