Diet and life history variation in the sympatric lizardsOligosoma nigriplantare polychromaandOligosoma lineoocellatum

Abstract

We investigated life history traits (body sizes, sexual maturity, sexual dimorphism, clutch size) and dietary preferences in the sympatric lizards, Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma and Oligosoma lineoocellatum (Scincidae). One-hundred and forty O. n. polychroma and 153 O. lineoocellatum were collected for a twelve month period. Our results show that these sympatric species have different life history traits, notably in body size, size at maturity, and reproductive output. O. n. polychroma were smaller (51.72 mm adult males, 56.74 mm adult females) than O. lineoocellatum (70.70 mm adult males, 76.30 mm adult females). Size at maturity was determined by logistic regression models of snout-vent length (SVL) for both species. O. n. polychroma reached sexual maturity at a relatively smaller SVL (42.21 mm) than O. lineoocellatum (62.11 mm), and had a larger mean clutch size (5.79) than O. lineoocellatum (3.82). There were some differences in diet, although both species consumed a wide range of prey, including spiders, worms, beetles, and millipedes. Z97030

Community‐wide character displacement in New Zealand skinks

“…We used mealworms in the experiment because they are readily available, their size is easy to characterize and they do not pose a biosecurity risk if they escape in the field. Previous work on the diet of New Zealand skinks (Porter, 1987; Patterson, 1992; Freeman, 1997; Spencer et al. , 1998), which includes most of the species investigated in this study, indicates that they have highly generalized diets comprised mostly of spiders (Araneae) and insects (especially the families Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera).…”

“…Sympatric lizard species often use different habitats, both in New Zealand (Gill, 1976; Porter, 1987; Patterson, 1992; East et al. , 1995; Towns & Elliot, 1996; Freeman, 1997; Spencer et al. , 1998) and elsewhere (Anderson & Burgin, 2002; Bragg et al.…”

The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers.

“…However, as Lord et al (2002) also point out, this lizard dispersal syndrome cannot be applied to other floras, and differences can be related to the taxonomic composition of the lizard fauna. The guild of frugivorous lizards from New Zealand consists of six species of Gekkonidae and 13 species of Scincidae (Whitaker, 1987, and references therein;Patterson, 1992;Cogger et al, 1993;Spencer et al, 1998). Many of these lizards (e.g.…”

The diet of grand skinks(Oligosoma grande)and Otago skinks (O.otagense)in Otago seral tussock grasslands

“…Various degrees of diet separation have also been documented in other sympatric species of New Zealand skinks (Gill 1976;Patterson 1992b;Efford et al 1997;Freeman 1997;Spencer et al 1998). Diet separation helps explain how grand and Otago skinks can co-exist in gully sites given daily activity times and home ranges significantly overlap (Pianka 1973;Marshall 2000;Marshall et al unpubl.…”

“…Dipterans were sorted to family, height of c. 1 m above ground level. Stakes were Traps that had been damaged were discarded, placed close to rock tors in an effort to capture flying Invertebrates were trapped during February, May, invertebrates that were also available to the skinks and November 1997and 1998, and February and (Eifler & Eifler 1999b.…”