INVESTIGADORES
VALDECANTOS Maria Soledad
artículos
Título:
Herbivory in Liolaemus poecilochromus, a Small, Cold-Climate Lizard from the Andes of Argentina
Autor/es:
VALDECANTOS, SOLEDAD; FEDERICO ARIAS Y ROBERT ESPINOZA
Revista:
COPEIA
Editorial:
AMER SOC ICHTHYOLOGISTS HERPETOLOGISTS
Referencias:
Año: 2012 p. 203 - 210
ISSN:
0045-8511
Resumen:
We show that Liolaemus poecilochromus is primarily herbivorous (>80% plants in diet)even as juveniles, making them the smallest herbivorous reptile known. We detected relatively few differences in diet between the sexes, despite male-biased sexual dimorphism in head and body size. Adults consumed more mites and flowers than juveniles, and we detected a weak ontogenetic shift from omnivory to herbivory that is attributable to the lower volumetric consumption of plants by juvenile males. We discuss the abiotic and biotic conditions that likely selected for herbivory in this and other small bodied, high-elevation Liolaemus.