Age structure and body size in three populations of Darevskia rudis (BEDRIAGA, 1886) from different altitudes

Gul S., Ozdemir N., Kumlutas Y., Ilgaz C.

HERPETOZOA, cilt.26, ss.151-158, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 26
  • Basım Tarihi: 2014
  • Dergi Adı: HERPETOZOA
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.151-158
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Reptilia: Squamata: Lacertidae: Darevskia rudis, age structure, population ecology, geographic variation, skeletochronology, Turkey, KARELINII STRAUCH 1870, SOUTHERN CRESTED NEWT, LACERTA-AGILIS, SKELETOCHRONOLOGICAL ESTIMATION, CAUDATA SALAMANDRIDAE, GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION, GROWTH, LIZARD, FROG, LONGEVITY
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Darevskia rudis (BEDRIAGA, 1886) occupies a wide range of altitudes in the Black Sea region of Turkey. A total of 62 individuals of this lizard from three populations/locations at different altitudes (Province of Artvin: Ardanuc, 2137 m a.s.l., Borcka, 1277 m a.s.I., Cermik, 700 m a.s.I.) were studied for body size and age using skeletochronology. In both sexes, mean body size and age were smaller/lower in the highest altitude population than in the lower altitude populations. A significant positive correlation was found between age and snout-vent length in the females of the high altitude populations, however, not for Cermik females and the males of all three populations. Sexual size dimorphism was male-biased in the lowest (Cermik) population, but female-biased in the higher altitude (Borcka and Ardanuc) populations. The skeletochronological analyses revealed distinct differences in body size and age structure between low and high altitude populations of D. rudis.