REPRODUCTIVE-CYCLE AND BROOD SIZE OF EUMECES LYNXE FROM PINAL-DE-AMOLES, QUERETERO, MEXICO

Females of Eumeces lynxe in the temperate environment of the Transvolc anic belt of central Mexico mated in August-October, ovulated in the D ecember, and produced live young in April during 1988, Brood size aver aged 4.7 neonates, and there was no relationship between brood size an d female SVL. Young were produced a: the beginning of the summer. Most of the annual rainfall occurs during summer, and we suggest that, sim ilar to other species in this environment offspring production is time d to the best season to promote juvenile growth and survivorship Teste s increased in size from May-October and declined rapidly in November. Because ovulation in females occurred considerably later than mating, females likely store sperm as reported in other Eumeces. The reproduc tive cycle of E. lynxe is very similar to other montane species of Eum eces in the Transvolcanic belt of central Mexico as well as lizards in the families Phrynosomatidae and Anguidae occurring in the same envir onment Taken together, these studies suggest that the montane environm ent (relatively cool temperatures, short growing season, and rainfall during the summer) in which E. lynxe lives has played a role in the ev olution of the set of reproductive characteristics shared by evolution arily-distant montane lizards.