NATURAL HISTORY OBSERVATIONS ON LIOLAEMUS MAGELLANICUS, THE SOUTHERNMOST LIZARD IN THE WORLD

Abstract

Observations on the natural history of Liolaemus magellanicus from Tierra del Fuego, Chile are presented. This species is patchily distributed in areas of coastal scrub and coastal steppe, reaching high local densities. Two color morphs are described: grey-olivaceous and green. Color dimorphism is not related to sex or body size of adults; all neonates are grey- olivaceous. Reproductive maturity appears to occur at snout-vent lengths of >48 mm for males and 60 mm for females. Females are ovoviviparous, having a relative clutch mass of 0.322 (mean for five specimens) and a mean litter size of 5.5 neonates (range 3-8). Birth occurs during the midsummer (January and February), probably 1 yr after copulation. Based on a sample of feces and a single stomach, L. magellanicus appears to be largely or entirely herbivorous, despite its small size (ca. 6 g). Field cloacal temperatures (mean for 20 specimens = 27 C) are significantly lower than for central Chilean species of Liolaemus.