The ecology of a New Zealand grassland lizard guild

Patterson, Geoff B.

doi:10.1080/03036758.1992.10420808

Cited by 39 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…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.…”

Section: A Lizard Fruit Syndrome?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers.

Valido

Olesen²

2007

Seed Dispersal: Theory and Its Application in a Changing World

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This chapter reviews and synthesizes the available evidence for fruit-eating lizards around the world to call attention to the fact that lizards need to be considered as frugivores and potential seed dispersal agents, especially in certain habitats and situations. The geographical distribution of saurochory, the morphological characteristics of fleshy fruits consumed by lizards, the taxonomic affiliation of both lizard and plant species, and the characteristics of their role as seed dispersers, are addressed.

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Section: A Lizard Fruit Syndrome?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers.

Valido

Olesen²

2007

Seed Dispersal: Theory and Its Application in a Changing World

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“…The minimum SVL of sexually mature adults has been used as an index of size at maturity (Tinkle 1972;Dunham et al 1988;Patterson 1992 While we could detect no intersexual differences in size at maturity, there was an intersexual difference in adult body size: females grew larger then males in both species. Sexual size dimorphism is widespread in many organisms, and several adaptive explanations for it have been proposed (see Stamps et al 1997).…”

Section: Size At Maturitymentioning

confidence: 93%

“…While several studies have addressed aspects of diet (Patterson 1992), morphology, and life history (Barwick 1959; in O. n. polychroma, there is little information on these topics for O. lineoocellatum, except for some records of body size (East et al 1995) and reproduction (Meads 1971). In this paper we investigate and compare the life history traits, morphology, and dietary preferences of these two species of sympatric lizard.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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

Spencer

Thomas

Mason

et al. 1998

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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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

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“…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.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Tocher¹

2003

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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The threatened grand skink (Oligosoma grande) and Otago skink (O. otagense) live sympatrically in seral tussock grassland habitat of Otago, New Zealand. The diets of juvenile, male, and female grand and Otago skinks were investigated at five sites (grand skinks) and two sites (Otago skinks) in the vicinity of Macraes Flat, Otago. No differences were found in the diet of Otago skinks in relation to site, age, and sex class. For grand skinks, there was some evidence that site influenced diet, but the data were not convincing. No sex or age-based diets were found in grand skinks. In general, grand skinks consumed large quantities of small-bodied dipterans, as well as substantial amounts of the fruit Leucopogon fraseri and Melicytus alpinus. In contrast, Otago skinks consumed large amounts of the fruit Coprosma taylorae and Leucopogonfraseri, small-bodied coleopterans, and large bodied dipterans (Calliphoridae). Diet overlap between grand skinks and Otago skinks was greatest in midsummer, and at this time 78% of food items detected were ingested by both species. Pronounced diet separation was evident only in late summer, when both species ate only a small range of food items, and some "specialisation" in fruit dietary items was evident. Although both species appear to consume substantial amounts of fruit, Otago skinks rely on fruit for most of summer. For grand skinks fruit is also important, especially in May. Neither species are likely to survive long-term any habitat modification that destroys fruiting plants. Habitat

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The ecology of a New Zealand grassland lizard guild

Cited by 39 publications

References 35 publications

The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers.

The importance of lizards as frugivores and seed dispersers.

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

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

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