Ecologia térmica e trófica de população de Phyllopezus periosus Rodrigues, 1986 (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) em área protegida na Caatinga

• Ano de defesa: 2017
• Autor(a) principal: Palmeira, Cristiane Nikely Silva
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Brasil; UFRN; PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM CIÊNCIAS BIOLÓGICAS
• Palavras-chave em Português: Uso de hábitats e microhábitats por lagartos Phyllodactylidae; Dieta e forrageamento em lagartos Phyllodactylidae; Termorregulação em lagartos da Caatinga; CNPQ::CIENCIAS BIOLOGICAS
• Link de acesso: https://repositorio.ufrn.br/jspui/handle/123456789/23570

Among the families of lizards that inhabit the Brazilian semiarid, Phyllodactylidae stands out, and in this, especially the genus Phyllopezus, with the species P. pollicaris and P. periosus. The first one has a wide distribution in the Caatinga and in other open Brazilian formations, while P. periosus is endemic and with restricted distribution to some Caatinga areas. Given these facts, this study aimed to record and analyze the thermal ecology, diet and mode of foraging behavior of P. periosus, in an attempt to identify factors that may influence the apparent relictual distribution of this species in the Caatinga. Two excursions were carried out in the months of July and October de 2015, with a duration of ten days each, to the Seridó Ecological Station (ESEC Seridó), Caatinga Conservation Unit in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Forty-five specimens of P. periosus were collected for which the body temperature of the lizard and the environmental temperatures (substrate and air) were measured; all specimens were then released. For each specimen of P. periosus collected were measured the body temperature of the lizard and the environmental temperatures (substrate and air). For the analysis of the diet and feeding behavior was used the technique of forced regurgitation of the food, as well as recordings of the descriptions observed on the foraging activity of the lizards. Phyllopezus periosus used as habitat rocky outcrops with crevices, presented a nocturnal habit with a bimodal tendency, with peaks from 18:00 to 20:59 h and from 01:00 to 04:59 h. There was no significant difference in body temperature between males and females, but juveniles had higher body temperature than adults. The mean body temperature of 28.5 ± 2.1 °C was influenced by the temperatures of the analyzed variables, but showed a higher relation with the temperature of the substrate, demonstrating that this species is tigmothermic. In the diet, of the 31 stomachs with content, 107 prey belonging to 19 categories of food items were identified. There was a difference in diet composition between adult and juvenile specimens, but not between the sexes. The observed individuals spent on average 1.72 ± 1.94% of the time in movement (PTM) and presented about 0.37 ± 0.32 movements per minute (MPM), indicating the mode of foraging of the type sit-and-wait or “lurking”. The predominance of about 91% of lizards in habitat use "large rocky outcrops with deep cracks" may be one of the contributing factors for the relictual distribution of P. periosus.