Ecologia comportamental de Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825) (Sauria Tropiduridae) em um área de caatinga em São Mamede, Paraíba, Brasil.

Abstract

Reptiles belong to a group of animals considered ectothermic, need because they themselves to expuse to sun to regulate body temperature. We note that it is of great importance the study of the herpetofauna of bioindicators Caatinga. Lizards are regarded as model organisms for behavioral studies because they present a wide geographical distribution. The Tropidurus genus occurs from terrestrial and the subarborícolas, saxicolous and arboreal species, they are diurnal and oviparous. Tropidurus hispidus is the largest species of the genus, being sit-and-wait foragers, active thermoregulatory and habitat generalist. They were captured, measured and weighed 24 lizards, being ten males, nine females and five juveniles, they were found mostly on rock surfaces. The behaviors observed for Tropidurus hispidus were thermoregulation, exhibitionism, reproduction, escape, foraging and territorialism. They were found three new types of behavior for this population, described as forward, lurking and tail tilde both observed in dry, sunny periods, on the farm Site Angola, São Mamede district, Paraíba state, Brazil. The individuals of this species showed sexual dimorphism between males and females, being males, heavier and with larger tails than females; juveniles showed large differences in all measures when compared with adult males and females. It wasn’t possible check the temperature several of juveniles for having reduced cloaca. They territorial tests showed that individuals are territorialists, but they were not always aggressive, use their posture to expel the invader.