Reproductive Cycle and Growth in the Lizard Anolis acutus

Abstract

Anolis acutus is an endemic species and only anole on the island of St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. A high percentage of ovigerous females are present during most of the year, with January thru April being the months of lowest reproductive potential. However, even during these months ovigerous females may exceed 50% of the adult females. Reproduction can take place during all twelve months of the year. Maximum testes size occurs from June thru October. In females fat bodies were rarely large, and were smallest during the dry season (December-April). Fat body size showed no temporal pattern in the males. Maximum reproductive potential is correlated with months of high rainfall, and the lowest reproductive potential with months of low rainfall. Females lay a single egg at a time. Eggs range from 10.7-11.4 mm long and 7.4-8.6 mm wide and are buried in sandy or gravelly soils. Fourteen days after laying eggs weigh 0.32 g. Hatching occurs in about 30 days at 28 C. Hatchlings are 19-21 mm snout-vent and weight 0.21-0.30 g. The average growth rate of juveniles is 0.07 mm/day, of females it is 0.06 mm/day, and of males, 0.11-0.14 mm/day. Females apparently reach sexual maturity in less than a year and males in about one year. Minimum size of sexually mature females is 36 mm snout-vent, and their maximum size is 49 mm. Males appear to reach sexual maturity at about 50 mm snout-vent and reach a maximum size of 67 mm.