Feeding habits of Liolaemus cuyanus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the Monte biogeographic province of San Juan, Argentina.

MORENO AZÓCAR, DÉBORA LINA; ACOSTA, JUAN CARLOS

JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY

SOC STUDY AMPHIBIANS REPTILES

Lugar: KANSAS; Año: 2011 vol. 45 p. 283 - 286

0022-1511

We describe the diet of a Liolaemus cuyanus population from the Monte of San Juan province in Argentina. Diet composition, trophic niche breadth, age, sexual and seasonal variation were analyzed. In addition, we investigated the relationship between L. cuyanus morphology and size of prey consumed. From the stomach contents of 106 lizards we found that L. cuyanus is an omnivore, feeding mainly on ants, hemipterans, coleopterans (larvae and adults), and reproductive plant structures (seeds, fruits and flowers) of the genera Lycium, Atriplex, Larrea and Portulaca. We observed differences between juvenile and adults´ diet, probably associated to body and head size restrictions. Conversely, sexes did not show differences, in spite of head and body size sexual dimorphism. Seasonal variations were observed in juveniles, whereas adults did not show substantial seasonal changes in the diet. Our findings show that L. cuyanus is opportunistic in diet, which varies with ontogeny, morphology and evolutionary constraints.