FOOD PLANTS AND ENERGETICS OF THE HERBIVOROUS LIZARD, UROMASTYX AEGYPTIUS MICROLEPIS, IN KUWAIT

Plant resources of the herbivorous lizard, Uromastyx aegyptius microle pis, were quantified in a sparsely vegetated Rhanterium community in e astern Kuwait. Standing crop biomass increased from 0.5 g/m(2) in the early growth season to a maximum of 2-3 g/m(2) in late March and April . The lizards consumed 15 species of annual and perennial plants. Biom ass of the food plants was approximately two-thirds to three-fourths o f the total standing crop. The daily energy expenditure of the lizards was estimated by two methods. Calculation based on the standard metab olic rate at 40 degrees C (Zari 1991) approximates a daily energy expe nditure of 11.8 kcal for a 1 kg animal. According to Nagy's relationsh ip (1982) the daily energy cost would be 13.4 kcal. The feeding rate t o maintain energy balance would be 3.7 and 4.3 g (dry weight) per day, respectively. Approximate feeding rates of dhubs in the Negev Desert are almost triple this, suggesting that much of the annual energy requ irement is acquired and stored during the brief period of plant produc tivity.