Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 85 (3): 321-333, 2012
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Growth ecology of a lizard of the genus Xenosaurus Peters 1861
(Squamata: Xenosauridae) from the Biosphere Reserve, Sierra Gorda, Querétaro, México
We analyzed variation in body growth of a new lizard species of the genus
Xenosaurus Peters that is endemic to the Biosphere Reserve, Sierra Gorda - Querétaro, México. We calculated body
growth rates and analyzed them by means of the Von Bertalanffy, logistic-by-length, and logistic-by-weight growth models. We used
the logistic-by-length model to describe the growth pattern of these lizards because this model provided the best fit to the observed
body growth rates. No significant differences were found between males and females in the characteristic growth parameter or in the
projected asymptotic size. Therefore, a single growth curve was constructed for both sexes. Males reach maturity at 24 months,
whereas females at 37 months. Size-independent growth rates were not statistically different among years (2001, 2002 and 2003) or
between season (wet and dry season). Our results suggest that variation in body growth of this species is not caused exclusively by
environmental variation, but rather by a complex combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Key words:
body size, life
histories, sexual maturity, viviparous lizards.
