Food habits and daily activity patterns of the North African ocellated lizard Timon pater from northeastern Algeria

Abstract

The large‐sized lizard Timon pater (Lacertidae) has been recently recognised as a distinct species from the European ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), and is endemic to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The ecology of this lizard is entirely unknown, and in this study detailed data on the diet composition and on the daily activity patterns, in spring and summer, are presented. The field study was carried out at the Parc National d'El Kala, northeastern Algeria. Food data were recovered by faecal pellet analysis, and daily activity patterns by standardised surveys along 1000‐m‐long line transects. In total, 164 T. pater pellets were collected and analysed, and 428 prey items were identified. The mean volume of the pellets collected in July and August was significantly less than that of the pellets collected in all the other months. The diet of Algerian T. pater was dominated by three prey categories (Coleoptera, Gastropoda, and Formicidae); Coleoptera and Formicidae were the most important prey types through the whole study period, whereas other prey types were important only in some periods (i.e. Gastropoda in August and Orthoptera in September). The diet composition did not change noticeably between spring and summer, and the same was true for the daily activity patterns. Overall, T. pater appeared remarkably similar to the European T. lepidus populations as far as dietary habits and daily activity patterns are concerned.