Aspectos ecológicos y uso del hábitat de Gonatodes humeralis (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae), en un agrosistema de la Península de Paria, Venezuela
Ecological aspects and habitat use of Gonatodes humeralis (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae), in an agroforestry system of Paria Peninsula, Venezuela
Abstract
Gonatodes humeralis (Guichenot, 1855), is a small lizard (maximum snout-vent length 41 mm), widely distributed in South America, where its abundance has increased in disturbed areas or with secondary vegetation. For this reasons, some ecological aspects and habitat use of this species in the Paria Peninsula, Venezuela, were studied between 2014 and 2017. The abundance of males, females and juveniles was quantified, in addition to comparing the activity pattern with respect to trunk diameter, location at ground level and roughness of the trees present in a cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) agroforestry system. 1,596 specimens were counted, where 727 were males (45.55%), 829 females (51.94%) and 40 juveniles (2.51%). Of the total number of quantified specimens, 99% were observed only in trees, 90% showed a preference for cocoa trees. Likewise, 56% of the individual specimens showed a preference for trees with a trunk diameter between 30 and 50 cm, and more than 75% were sighted at average heights above the ground between 20 and 60 cm. The regression analysis showed that the abundance of adults and juveniles was positively related to the diameter of the trunk and negatively related to the height of the ground at which the specimens were located. Individuals preferred to use trees with intermediate roughnes and depth of litter between 4 and 12 cm. The observed habitat preference suggests that this species selects thin trees, with a surface that allows them greater mobility to capture prey and evade possible predators, in addition to facilitating movement between the trees.
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