Diet in two syntopic neotropical lizard species of Liolaemus (Liolaemidae): interspecific and intersexual differences

TL;DRAbstract

The study of the diet of a species can help us understand its natural history and strategies involved in searching for food. Here we describe the diets of two syntopic lizard species from northwestern Argentina, Liolaemus quilmes and L. ramirezae. We compare the two species with respect to their general diet and we compare males and females of L. quilmes with respect to their favorite prey item, ants. Both species are insectivorous and diurnal, and they are of similar sizes, L. quilmes being slightly larger than L. ramirezae. We examined fecal samples of field captured lizards and stomach contents of preserved specimens from the Fundación Miguel Lillo (54 L. quilmes and 16 L. ramirezae). Prey items were identified to order and, in Formicidae (Hymenoptera), to species. The two Liolaemus species ate prey that belonged mainly to three insect orders: Coleoptera, Hemiptera (Heteroptera), and Hymenoptera. Liolaemus quilmes ate significantly more Hymenoptera than L. ramirezae, whereas the lat

Chat with Paper

AI Agents for this Paper