Habitat Use and Activity Patterns of the Neotropical Arboreal Lizard Tropidurus (= Uracentron) azureus werneri (Tropiduridae)
We studied habitat use, activity patterns, foraging mode, and prey spectrum of Tropidurus azureus werneri using a tower crane located in an Amazonian lowland rain forest in southern Venezuela. The lizards were strictly arboreal with a preference for the branches and twigs of the canopy. The horizont...
| Publié dans: | Journal of Herpetology. - Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. - 35(2001), 3, Seite 395-402 |
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| Auteur principal: | |
| Autres auteurs: | , , |
| Format: | Article en ligne |
| Langue: | English |
| Publié: |
2001
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| Accès à la collection: | Journal of Herpetology |
| Sujets: | Biological sciences Behavioral sciences Physical sciences |
| Résumé: | We studied habitat use, activity patterns, foraging mode, and prey spectrum of Tropidurus azureus werneri using a tower crane located in an Amazonian lowland rain forest in southern Venezuela. The lizards were strictly arboreal with a preference for the branches and twigs of the canopy. The horizontal distribution of lizards within the 1.4-ha study area was clustered and remained remarkably stable during two consecutive years. The lizards favored high and well-structured crowns with tree holes that served as shelters during the night. Activity was highest at air temperatures above 28°C measured at a height of 21 m. Activity patterns were influenced by cloud cover and insolation. Tropidurus azureus werneri showed notable agility and tended toward more active foraging patterns than found in other tropidurid lizards. The prey spectrum was dominated by ants. |
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| ISSN: | 19372418 |
| DOI: | 10.2307/1565957 |