Clutch and egg size of the tropical lizard Tropidurus torquatus (Tropiduridae) along its geographic range in coastal eastern Brazil

• Published in: Canadian journal of zoology Vol. 86; no. 12; pp. 1376 - 1388
• Main Authors: Kiefer, M. C, Van Sluys, M, Rocha, C. F.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa NRC Research Press 01.12.2008; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Animal populations; Biogeography; Biological variation; Egg (Biology); Growth; Habitats; Lacertilia; Lizards; Measurement; Observations; Properties; Reptiles & amphibians; Tropidurus torquatus; Zoology; Brazil
• ISSN: 0008-4301; 1480-3283; 1480-3283; 0008-4301
• DOI: 10.1139/Z08-106

The tropidurid lizard Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820) has a set of populations inhabiting coastal sand dune habitats ("restinga") along the eastern Brazilian coast. Despite its wide geographic range, there is no information about geographic variation in reproductive features among its populations. In the present study we compared some reproductive aspects of females in 10 coastal populations of T. torquatus, aiming to evaluate to what extension they vary geographically. The minimum size at maturity was relatively similar to most populations, but mean female body size had a considerable variation. Clutch size of almost all coastal populations of T. torquatus had little variation and was composed predominantly of two eggs. Interpopulational variation in the mean egg volume was relatively wide and strongly influenced by the variation in mean female body size. The data of the present study indicated that females of almost all coastal populations of T. torquatus produce, predominantly, clutches with two eggs and invest more energy in egg size instead of clutch size, probably as a consequence of morphological and environmental factors. The increased reproductive investment in egg size was confirmed by the values obtained for the relative clutch mass, which remained relatively constant along the coastal geographic distribution of T. torquatus.