Montane Lizard Research Articles

The lipid composition and triglyceride structure of eggs and fat bodies of the lizard Sceloporus jarrovi

1. 1. The lipid composition and triglyceride structure of eggs and fat bodies of the viviparous montane lizard Sceloporus jarrovi were determined by thin-layer and gas-chromatographic procedures. The structures of the triglycerides were obtained by a stereospecific analysis procedure. 2. 2. Lipids comprised approximately 36 per cent of the dry weight of the eggs and 91 per cent of that of the fat bodies. 3. 3. Triglyceride was the major lipid class in the eggs (86·9–90·2 per cent) and in the fat bodies (92·6–94·9 per cent); other lipid classes included phospholipids, cholesteryl esters, free fatty acids, diglycerides and free cholesterol. Alkyldiglycerides were also present in fat bodies from older lizards. Phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine were always the major egg phospholipids comprising 76·5–83·1 per cent and 7·7–13·8 per cent, respectively, of this lipid class. 4. 4. Oleic acid (18:1) was the major component of egg and fat body triglycerides followed by palmitic (16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2). 5. 5. Structures of the triglycerides from fat bodies were similar to those in adipose tissue of higher vertebrates; however, egg triglycerides differed considerably from those of avian eggs.

Reproductive Effort and Winter Activity in the Viviparous Montane Lizard Sceloporus jarrovi

GORMAN, G. C. 1968. The relationships of Anolis of the roquet species group (Sauria; IS, D. E. 1958. The role f density in agessive behavior of house mice. Anim. Behav. Iguanidae)-III. Comparative study of display behavior. Brevoria, Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 284:1-31. GREENBERG, B., AND G. K. NOBLE. 1944. Social behavior of the American chameleon, (Anolis carolinensis). Physiol. Zool. 17:392-439. JENSSEN, T. A. 1970. The ethoecology of Anolis nebulosus (Sauria, Iguanidae). J. Herpetol. 4: 1-38. MILSTEAD, W. W. 1970. Late summer behavior of the lizards Sceloporus merriami and Urosaurus ornatus in the field. Herpetologica 26: 341-357. RAND, A. S. 1967. The ecology and social organization in the iguanid lizard Anolis lineotopus. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 122:1-79. SCHOENER, T. W., AND G. C. GORMAN. 1968. Some niche differences in three Lesser Antillean lizards of the genus Anolis. Ecology 49: 819-830. STAMPS, J. A., AND G. W. BARLOW. In Press. Variation and stereotypy in the displays of Anolis aeneus (Sauria, Iguanidae). Behaviour.