A Preliminary Report on the Ecology of a Tropical, High Altitude Lizard, Anadia brevifrontalis

Abstract

Observations of a population of Anadia brevifrontalis were made during October and November of 1977 in the Venezuelan Andes. The study site was located in the paramo (alpine-tundra) of the state of Merida at 3,600 m. Basking and foraging activities occurred between 0930 and 1600 hrs., at an ambient air temperature range of 16.2-25.0 C. substrate temperature range of 19.9-29.2 C, and body temperature range of 15.2-27.4 C. Stomach contents contained 8 taxa of arthropods with larval Coleoptera/Lepidoptera, adult Coleoptera, and Araneae making up the most significant portion by weight. Most females contained yolking follicles or oviducal eggs during October and November as did others, more recently collected, in June and July 1979. The clutch size was two, with the eggs laterally fused and deposited in humus beneath rocks. Some nest sites contained only a pair of eggs, while others were communal. One of two communal nest sites contained eleven egg shells, the other at least 46 intact eggs and 27 shells.