Tr. Gasnier et al., FORAGING ACTIVITY AND DIET OF 4 SYMPATRIC LIZARD SPECIES IN A TROPICAL RAIN-FOREST, Journal of herpetology, 28(2), 1994, pp. 187-192
Observations on the foraging activity and diets of four sympatric rain
forest lizards were used to test previous generalizations based mainly
on studies on lizards from arid areas. In contrast to lizards studied
in arid areas, an ambush predator (Uranoscodon superciliosa, Iguanida
e) eats more hidden and slow moving prey than the most active forager
(Kentropyx calcarata, Teiidae). Plica umbra (Iguanidae), an ant specia
list, has similar foraging intensity to Anolis punctatus (Iguanidae) a
nd is more active than U.superciliosa, which are generalist insectivor
es. Plica umbra does not have the behavioral and morphological adaptat
ions for myrmecophagy that commonly occur in desert lizards. Uranoscod
on superciliosa also does not specialize on large prey, as predicted f
or extreme ''sit-and-wait'' lizards in tropical rainforests. Differenc
es in the consequences of foraging mode for the diet of lizards betwee
n arid and forest areas may be affected by differences in the availabi
lity of prey and their distribution in the environment.