ADAPTIVE MORPHOMETRIC VARIATION IN LIZARDS OF THE GENUS AGAMA IN ISRAEL

The genus Agama in Israel is represented by five taxa which are distri buted in different habitats and different zoogeographical regions of t he country. An attempt was made to analyze these taxa according to var ious morphometric characteristics and to correlate these variables wit h habitat quality as well as with thermal characteristics. The results indicate that the five Agama taxa in Israel segregate on the basis of morphometric and thermal features. Among the morphometric characteris tics, the ratios between the length of fore- and hindlimbs and body le ngth were dominant discriminating features, especially between A. sina ita from a hot rocky habitat and all other four species. Body temperat ure was the main thermal feature accounting for taxon segregation. The se results revealed a high compatibility between morphometric attribut es and habitat features.