ACTIVITY AND HABITAT USE IN A POPULATION OF AMEIVA-AMEIVA IN SOUTHEASTERN COLOMBIA

The abundance, rime of activity, time budget, and microhabitat selecti on of a population of Ameiva ameiva living in the Sierra of Chiribique te (Southeastern Colombia) were studied. The area is isolated from the surrounding forest and has reduced trophic resources and few potentia l predators of lizards. The population is characterized by the small s ize of the lizards and by low density (22.1 indv/ha). Probably the spe cial characteristics of the habitat make possible the lengthened daily activity pattern in both juvenile and adult individuals, but this pat tern is also related to relative humidity. The juveniles showed a unim odal pattern with maximum frequency of sightings at midday, while the adults preferred the morning and afternoon hours. Both age groups used open, sunny areas and spent most of their time in foraging and baskin g behaviors.