Reproductive biology of Teius teyou (Squamata: Teiidae), in the semiarid chaco, Salta, Argentina.

12. CRUZ, F.B.; TEISAIRE E.; NIETO L. & ROLDÁN A.

JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY

SOC STUDY AMPHIBIANS REPTILES

Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 1999 vol. 33 p. 420 - 429

0022-1511

Teius tesou, a teiid lizard that inhabits the chaco of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, was reproductively active in spring, from October through December. General activity is coincident with the wet season (October-March), but independent of rainfall. Neonates were first observed in January and did not reach maturity during their first year. Females laied one clutch of eggs per year, and clutch size (i= 4.96) was positively related to female body size. A positive relationship was found for both sexes between reproductive activity and mean monthly rainfall. This relationship appears to be a common characteristic of Teiidae fmm seasonal climate habitats. In comparison to other sympatric Teiidae, the reproductive cycle of T teyou resembles the more distantly related Tupinambis mfescens (the largest teiid in the study area) than it does the more closely related, but substantially smaller Cnemidophoms ocellifer. In summary, the timing of reproduction in chacoan teiids appears to be most determined by environmental factors and to alesser degree by body size. Reproductive timing in these teiids is seemingly independent of phylogenetic history.