Comparative Aspects if the Ecology of Four Syntopic Species of Angle-Headed Lizards, Genus Gonocephalus
Gonocephalus is a genus of arboreal agamid lizards, endemic to south-east Asia. Four syntopic species of Gonocephalus have been recorded in the lowlands of Sarawak- G. doriae, G. bornensis, G. liogaster and G. grandis. Most are associated with tree trunks, saplings and shrubs, sometimes occurrin...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
UNIMAS Publisher, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/31481/1/Cover%20page%20july2019.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/31481/4/jye.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/31481/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Institution: | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak |
| Language: | English English |
| Summary: | Gonocephalus is a genus of arboreal agamid lizards, endemic to south-east Asia. Four syntopic species of
Gonocephalus have been recorded in the lowlands of Sarawak- G. doriae, G. bornensis, G. liogaster and
G. grandis. Most are associated with tree trunks, saplings and shrubs, sometimes occurring in syntopy.
Morphologically similar and closely related species living in sympatry tend to avoid niche overlap by
differing in one or more aspects of their ecology, which are presumably caused, maintained and/or reinforced
by interspecific competition. Successful partition of resources within a system, thus, is vital in reducing
competition and increasing feeding efficiency, thus facilitates coexistence. Ecological theory dictates that
spatial, trophic and temporal dimensions are the main dimensions of ecological space. The four species
of Gonocephalus can be broadly similar in their biology, so the question raised was, are there striking
differences in their respective ecologies? Studies on comparative ecology at Kubah National Park has
been ongoing since June 2018. The objectives of this study were to test whether tropical lizards partition
resources spatially and trophically? In addition, we wanted to understand the thermal biology, habitat
preference and home range of these species. Structural and thermal microhabitat characteristics were
recorded. Stomach contents of individuals were removed via stomach flushing for identification to ordinal
level. Temperature-sensitive radio transmitters were attached for 10–14 weeks to the dorsum of pelvic
girdle of at least 16 individuals (that weigh over 27 gm) for thermal and home range studies. Towards the
end of this project, new ecological data for the syntopic species of Gonocephalus are expected, of potential
value for conservation and management. |
|---|