Abstract
Swinhoe's tree lizard (Diploderma swinhonis: D. swinhonis) is an arboreal agamid that is native to Taiwan. In Taiwan, the lizard is considered to be a generalist that feeds primarily on ants and a diversity of small insect prey by employing an opportunistic sit-and-wait foraging strategy. In Japan, D. swinhonis is considered as an invasive alien species that was discovered in Hyuga city, Miyazaki Prefecture, in 2016. Despite concerns about the impact of D. swinhonis on native fauna, little information about the diet of this alien species has been published to date. This study, therefore, investigated the feeding ecology of D. swinhonis in Hyuga city to evaluate their potential impact on the ecosystem. Specifically, prey preference was investigated by examining the stomach contents of males, females, and juveniles captured from April to December 2020 and in March 2021. The results showed that the lizards in Hyuga preyed upon a wide variety of invertebrates as in Taiwan, while ants accounted for the largest proportion of the prey items consumed regardless of sex, age or changes in season. These findings indicated that D. swinhonis might cause a decrease in the abundance of the native insect fauna of Hyuga city or competition with native lizards for foods in Hyuga city. Since its impact is not currently apparent, it's necessary to monitor its effect in the future.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
