PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE AVAILABILITY OF PREYS, IN TWO LIZARD SPECIES OF LIOLAEMUS (IGUANIA: LIOLAEMIDAE) AMAICHA DEL VALLE, TUCUMÁN, ARGENTINA.

CORREA, MARCELA; SALVA, ANA GABRIELA; JUÁREZ, VIVIANA; VIVAS, GILDA LUCIANA

Tafí del Valle

Jornada; XXXIII Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2016

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

Information about the foraging habits of a species allows us to approach the knowledge of their interactions with the environment and with other organisms. To analyze the relationship between diet and the availability of food resources is an important ecological parameter. Liolaemus pacha and Liolaemus ramirezae are two syntopic lizard species from northwestern Argentina. Both species are insectivorous (insects and small arthropods) and occasionally eat flowers and leaves. The aim of this work was to conduct a survey of arthropods associated with vegetation at the site "Los Cardones", Amaicha del Valle. Pitfall traps, sweeping net on vegetation and manual search were used. 141 individuals belonging to 6 orders of insects, and two orders of Arachnida class (Araneae and Acarina) were captured. Hymenoptera was the best order represented (Formicidae) (n = 96) distributed in at least 6 genus, being Acromyrmex sp (cutting ants), one of the most representative. Secondly, Hemiptera order (n = 28) with Tingidae, Cicadellidae, Membracidae and Aphididae family. Coleoptera were represented by Scarabaeidae, Carabidae, Curculionidae, Anthicidae, Cerambicidae, Meloidae, and Coccinellidae (n = 11). To a lesser extent were the Diptera, Orthoptera (Proscopidae and Acrididae) and Collembola orders. Further study of the food/prey availability of these lizards will be necessary in order to define the trophic relationships and ecosystem interactions.