REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES IN 3 SPANISH POPULATIONS OF THE OCELLATED LIZARD, LACERTA-LEPIDA (SAURIA, LACERTIDAE)

The comparative study of life history in three populations of the spec ies Lacerta lepida subjected to different climatic conditions, reveale d the existence of three quite different strategies. In the centre of the Iberian peninsula (sub-humid Mediterranean climate), the ocellated lizard strategy is very like that of other populations studied so far , that is to say with a single annual clutch, sexual maturity starting after the third winter following birth and females size at first repr oduction being generally over 145 mm SVL. Lizards from a population in the northwest of Spain (non-Mediterranean, very humid climate without annual hydric stress periods) are small in size; this determines the small size of the single annual clutch, together with earlier sexual m aturity (just after the 2nd winter following birth) and probably highe r adult mortality. On the other hand, in the southeast of Spain (very dry irregular Mediterranean climate) females may lay more than once a year, with a significantly lower clutch size, lower relative clutch ma ss and bigger eggs than in the other studied populations. The heritabi lity of certain characteristics, such as the small size of the northwe stern lizards or the low fecundity of the southeastern females, determ ines the reproductive strategies in these two populations and suggests the existence of adaptation to the bioclimatic conditions in each of these two regions.