Reproductive characteristics of the lacertid lizard Podarcis atrata

We report reproductive characteristics (timing of sexual maturity, clutch f requency, clutch size, egg and hatchling sizes) of the Island Lizard Podarc is atrata. Reproductive performance was related to female size. The larger females initiate reproductive activities early in the season and produce tw o to four clutches annually, whereas the smaller individuals postpone repro duction until the season is well advanced and lay only a single clutch. Clu tch size increased with female length and was slightly lower for clutches l aid during June-July than for those produced during May. Among-clutch diffe rences in egg mass were negatively correlated with clutch size, and this re lationship is independent of female size. Larger clutches are also composed of less elongated (i.e., rounder) eggs than are smaller clutches, suggesti ng that the phenotypic trade-off between egg size and numbers is induced by limitations posed by the females' body volume, rather than by restrictions of energy availability. Comparison of reproductive traits of P. atrata to those of the closely related P. hispanica and P. bocagei indicates that the increase in body length during the evolutionary divergence of P. atrata wa s not associated with an increase in clutch size. This provides a clear exc eption to the general pattern found in lacertid lizards.