PUBLICATIONS DIURNAL AND NOCTURNAL HABITAT USE IN RETICULATE COLLARED LIZARDS (CROPTAPHYTUS RETICULATUS)
JOURNAL ABSTRACT Patterns of habitat use in animals can vary over time and space in predictable ways. For ectotherms, behavioral
cycles
are
tightly
linked
to
varying
temperatures in the environment such that microhabitat availability
can
constrain
individual
performance,
fitness, and life history. A long history of research on diurnal microhabitat use in lizards exists; however, comparatively
little
is
known
about
nocturnal
microhabitat use that might also constrain individual lizard performance, fitness, and life history. In this study, we compared diurnal and nocturnal microhabitat sites of the reticulate collared lizard (Crotaphytus reticulatus), a threatened species in Texas, to available microhabitat sites. We found significant differences between diurnal and nocturnal microhabitat characteristics, and both of these were
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significantly different from random microhabitat sites available. We observed that C. reticulatus used diurnal and nocturnal microhabitats with a gravel substrate and
AUTHORS TIMOTHY GARRETT WADE RYBERG
scattered boulders that were covered by a short TYLER CAMPBELL TOBY HIBBITTS
CONNOR ADAMS
overstory of woody and succulent plants rather than more heavily vegetated sites with dense grasses and forbs. We also observed that diurnal microhabitats were moderately open, shallow gravel slopes compared with
CITATION Garrett, T.B., W.A. Ryberg, C.S. Adams, T.A. Campbell and T.J. Hibbitts. 2019. Diurnal and nocturnal habitat use in reticulate collared lizards (Crotaphytus reticulatus). Southwestern Naturalist 63:209-215.
nocturnal microhabitats that contained dense thickets of woody and succulent plants. The open, gravelly characteristics of diurnal microhabitats with occasional vegetative
structure
were
more
consistent
with
microhabitat descriptions of other Crotaphytids, which as a group are visual predators.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
However, the daily shift to dense, thorny plant cover at
Research found differential habitat use between diurnal and nocturnal periods for reticulate collared lizards. The daily shift to dense, thorny plant cover at night appears to be unique to the species compared to other genus members. Study suggests that current private land stewardship is benefiting lizard populations. Future conservation actions for the lizard will be most successful with continued engagement with private landowners.
Crotaphytids in general. This study suggests that
night
appears
unique
to
C.
reticulatus
among
private land stewardship across the C. reticulatus distribution in Texas has benefitted the species by maintaining habitat used by the lizard, and it suggests that future conservation actions for the species will be most successful with continued engagement with private landowners.
Funding for this research was provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife and the East Foundation.
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