Age and growth in two populations of danford’s lizard, anatololacerta danfordi (Günther, 1876), from the eastern mediterranean

Abstract

The age and growth in two breeding populations of A. danfordi, inhabiting altitudes ranging from 678 m a.s.l. to 1200 m a.s.l. in Turkey, were investigated. The age differences between sexes were not statistically significant in either population. The mean age was calculated as 8.73 ± 2.12 and 8.33 ± 1.8 years in Kozan and 7.25 ± 1.58 and 5.78 ± 1.64 years in Saimbeyli for males and females, respectively. The age distributions of males did not statistically differ between populations, but females in Kozan were significantly older than those in Saimbeyli. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) difference between sexes was not significant in the Kozan population, whereas males were significantly longer than females in Saimbeyli. However, SVL was similar between the populations. Intersexual differences in body size were found to be male-biased for both populations. There was a positive and statistically significant relationship between SVL and age in both populations. This study examines the feasibility of the use of skeletochronology for A. danfordi. It also shows that these populations are getting older and this may endanger the future of A. danfordi in a warming world. Some life history parameters and population structures of A. danfordi are provided in this study but some questions still remain.