Ovipositional behaviour of Calotes liolepis (Sri Lanka)

7/31/2019 Ovipositional behaviour of Calotes liolepis (Sri Lanka)

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Acta Herpetologica 4(1): 47-56, 2009

Te ovipositional behaviour of the endemic whistling lizardCalotes liolepis Boulenger, 885(Reptilia: Agamidae) in theKnuckles forest region of Sri Lanka

D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna1, I. Nuwan Bandara2, A.W. Amila Chanaka3

IUCN Sri Lanka Country oce, No: 53, Horton place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. Correspondingauthor. E-: [email protected]

Youth Exploration Society o Sri Lanka, Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. E-:[email protected] Trust o Sri Lanka, No. 342, Sweet-house Building, Pitakotte Junction, Pitakotte, Sri Lanka.E-: [email protected]

Abstract. A e ee Calotes liolepis s obseve yg eggs o e go Mg e Kces Foes Rego o S L. Ts s e s copee-y escbe obsevo o e ovposog s e s e cpve egg cg oCalotes liolepis. Ts ovposo bevo cosse o e ggg o e es cv-y, ovposo, scpg o e so o by e eggs, g o e spces beee eeggs, copesso o e so, coge o e es. Te szes o ee eggs ee

cese g cbo: y 1 e = 17.5 9.2 (eg ), e 70-71 ys e = 21.7 14.4 . Tee cgs ee eege (eso-o-ve eg = 29.9 ; eg = 58.2 ; e eg = 10.2 .Iee cosevo eses e eee o s eec eee z, e obsevos ee o s egg-yg co be se pg pe-eg sbe cosevo eos.

Keywords. Age, Dcoe, Calotes, Ovposo bevo, Kces, SL.

INRODUCION

S L Wese Gs o I s bovesy ospo, c epeossebges becse o vobe evoe cos sc s g -y, g esy o ego o s ego (Bossy e ., 2004; De Sv,1996; Gee e ., 2007; K e ., 2006; Meegsb e ., 2002;Peygo e ., 2005). Tee e egee speces o g zs (Fy: Age) S L cg ee eec gee 15 (83%) eec speces (B

Ssg, 2005; Me-Acc e ., 2006; Sc e ., 2006). Te


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48 D.M.S. S K e

18 ve speces beog o e sb-y Dcoe cosss o sx gee; Calotes,Ceratophora, Cophotis, Lyriocephalus, Otocryptis Sitana (De Sv, 2006; Deyg,1953; Mcey e ., 2000). Te ges Calotes cosss seve speces ve o e eeec o S L, e e C. ceylonensis, C. desilvai, C. liocephalus, C. liolepis, C.nigrilabris (Ds De Sv, 2005; K Asge, 2008; Me-Acc, 1998), o e e oy eee (IUCN S L MENR2007). Oes o-eec e e C. calotes C. versicolorespecvey.

Calotes liolepis s bee ecoe o oy e ey sepe oces esceo e sb-oe oess, y evy se es o oes e e zoe pos beo 1000 eevo (Ase e ., 2007; B Mge, 2005; M-e-Acc Lyge, 1994). Ts boe speces s c soe oe SL g zs, eve e ee cbg. Is cosevo ss s Vebe (IUCNS L MENR, 2007). Ts speces s gey boe s og gzs e o s b o eg g-pce se e e (Ds De Sv,2005). Avege so-o-ve eg (SVL) = 72 , e eg (HL) = 28 , eg (L) = 190 , x-o-go eg (AG) = 37 (Deyg, 1953).Recey, e egg yg bevo oC. liolepis s bee ocee by Ase e . (2007),b cs y es. I s ppe e gg e es o e ovposogbevo e , s e s e cpve cbo cg oC. liolepis eggs.

MAERIALS AND MEHODS

Te eg o e ecose s 300 , 15 eg 100 . A eoee ygoee e se o oo epee eve y cos. Te bse oe s e so xe s o ep o ey 50 . Peces o soes, scs e es ee so pove s es o cgs. Te eve y ve beee bo65% 75% g cbo. Tese ves y be ge ose o e ope e. Te sce so s geey ep y b occsoy bo 100 o p e s spye o e cg evce o oe se. Te y epee ve beeebo 1 C 2 C. Te bove 3 eggs ee be e so covee e e.

Obsevos o e z ee e beee 1430 1730 o sce o 2 . Te s sbe o es o e poogps. We sbe, expe s g sc ooe o o bo 5 (Fg. 1). Te spece s exe cosey oes o ey c-

cescs ee ecoe. A esees ee e o e ees 0.1 sg cpes.Dgosc eys B Mge (2005), Deyg (1953), Me-Acc (1990,1998), S (1935) yo (1953) ee se o speces eco. P oece sbse o Se (2001) ee sg Aso e . (1997).

In vitro incubation

A eggs ee eove o e og es be so gss ecose oe e peeo o g. Te cbo coe s pce ose e booy sy evoe s o e og b. Hy se e s ep e 70%. Eggs

ee o sbe g cbo ee vsbe o e ose so obsevos -g cg co be e o sbce.


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49Ovposo bevo o e Calotes liolepis S L

RESULS

Study area and habitat

Obsevos ee e ppoxey 1 o Ib Mg eKces Foes Rego (e: 800 ) Me Dsc, Ce Povce (73346N, 804612 E). Te go s covee 5 c c e e e. Te so s so gy bo pces, ce cves. Tee s ppoxey 75%copy cove e ego cosse o sbs ebs. Te vege epe-

e y ee 27 C 70%, especvey. O e y o o obsevos oesg, e ee s sy, co cove s 6/8, ee s po o e es-g eve. Te se-evegee oess epese e o vegeo ype M-g e. Te oes cosss o ee s; e copy (20-25 ), sb-copy (5-10 ) go ebceos vegeo (Bbey Eye, 2003).

Tese oess bo y ge copy ees sc s Creteava religiosa, Phyllan-thus indika, Sterculia oetida, Bombax ceiba, Dimocarpus longan, Palaquium hinmolpedda Vitex altissima speces e sb-copy eve cosss oBreynia vitisidea, Miliusaindica, Pavetta indica Streblus asperspeces; go cove cosss oBegonia hirtella,Carex licina, Carex jakiana, Curculio orchioides Procris crenata speces (Eye

Bbey, 2001). Te g es o e Kces oes ge s exeeye ogo e ye, vege > 4000 , og e oe

Fig. . Dg e sbces expe s g sc ooe o.


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ese sopes e c e. Pevos sveys ve ocee eg speces o Ag- zs bg e Kces oes eseve (Bbey Eye, 2003;Sce e ., 2006; De Sv e ., 2005; Rps e ., 2006).

Observations on digging the nest hole

A e ee Calotes liolepis (SVL = 79 , HL = 25.1 , HW = 14 , L =177 , AGL = 51 ) yg o e go e Mg, bo 1 y o eIb-Mg Ne , s obseve o 5 Ap 2008 bo 1430 . Fs,e z ooe o o bo 30 . Dg s e epeey e s eppoxey 180 ee es ovg s boy. Te z e cge s boy cooo ppoxe e go coo, pobby o coge. Te ee e se ggg scpg e so s oebs, e pocess g s boy cocse co-

ecocse 24 es. I oo ~30 o e e boy p po o ggg e es oe.Te boy p s 150 ee. We g o, e so s o

bc sg oebs bs. Te boo o e boy p s geeog o e ee o e e eggyg. Ae copeg e p e z- se ggg e go s oebs. We ggg, e e g e o e es oe by copessg e so e sp-oc ego, so eo o s oe o vo copse. Te soppe ggg ooeo o ppoxey 5 e epeey g s e 90 sx es oovg s boy. I coe o g e oe o oe o, soppg ee oe eso 5 pe ev. Te oe s vec, 50 eep 35 ee. Dg

e es evs e s coe se e oe e e be ge o 90o oo o.

Laying the eggs

Ae 30 o ggg, e ee e s boy 180 cocse, pcg e pose-o p o s boy e opeg o e oe e coe e oe g o eoe. I e ooe o g. Te ee eggs e oe o g s bsee s bs pce e op-oppose se o e boy p by sg e o eo (Fg. 2). Te e bes ee yg vey cose o e go g e oepeo. Tee eggs ee e o ppoxey oe pe ee (Fg. 3). Te eggsee pe e epc pbe se. Me eg = 17.5 e = 9.2 (poog ese pevos obsevos o 11 eggs, e = 17.1 9.2 ). Ae e eggs ee e ee ee ooess o 20 .

Burying the eggs and camoufaging the nest

Foog peo o cvy, e z e 180 cocse ove bco e oe o 10 o pc pce e eggs beo go eve sg e eo

p o s oe . I e ee ooess o ppoxey 15 . I e begggg so os e oe sg s oebs. Te excve so s pe pose-


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oy sg s bs. Ae g ppoxey 1/3 o e oe bo 5 , e 90 coecocse se pessg e so e sp-oc ego, p

o e so eo o s oe o 30 . A ocg ose s poces e z e sbse 28 es s oe o copess e so e oe.

Fig. . Te z yg eggs see s cve.

Fig. . Te ee eggs ye byCalotes liolepis Mg.


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I e e oe 1/3 o e oe bo 5 , e 90 coecocse g, se copessg e so e eo o s oe o 20 .

Fy, e z e s 1/3 o e oe bo 5 . Ae, e 90coecocse g se pessg e so e eo o s oe o 10 , e c e oe s e o go eve. Ae oog o, gge eby e eves oDimocarpus longan Palaquium hinmolpedda (Fy:Spcee Spocee) ove e es o coge. I ee ooess o 5 g s e cge s boy coo o g gees bo beoe gos e oes. A s e s cg o esee e eese.

Captive eggs hatching notes

Eggs ee eove o e es cvy e cvy s exe e e ee

s eese. Te boo o e cvy s coc e so so, e. Teeggs ee be so scee-oppe gss ecose o cbe. We epose eeggs c es cvy s sce o cosce by e ee. Te o e coe s cose-g o ee peos. Ae bo o ys e c-gs ee eese o e og b.

DISCUSSION

Te ovposo bevo o s speces ves o e ovposo bevo oCalotes versicolor C. liocephalus. Accog o Asge K (2007,2008), C. versicolor pces s coc pee ove e opeg o e oe s s bs e yg s eggs (Fg. 4), C. liocephalus pces e poseo p o eboy se e oe e yg eggs (Fg. 4b), C. liolepis pces e poseo p os boy e opeg o e oe e s coe e oe g o e oe e y eggs o e oe o g s bs (Fg. 4c). Te egg yg o C.ceylonensis s s o e egg yg o C. liolepis b C. ceylonensis s bs eC. liolepis (Peep Asge, 2009). Te C.versicolor s e eo p o eboy s oebs e g s e o oo o C. liocephalus cos s

ee boy se e oe e beg e eo p o s boy o oo o bC. liolepis coe e se e oe e e be ge o 90 o oogo s o C. ceylonensis (Peep Asge, 2009).

Calotes versicolores ocg ose e pcg pcg e eggs e oesg s oe (Asge K, 2007) e C. liocephalus C. ceylo-nensis pces e soy o g y ose (Asge K, 2008;Peep Asge, 2009) C. liolepis o so y pcg bevo eyg eggs. Hoeve e ocg ose e copessg so e oe g eggyg. Nee C. versicoloro C. liocephalus e e boy p o g e es oe s C.liolepis C. ceylonensis (Peep Asge, 2009) so ey o se

bs o p e so o e oe. Calotes versicolor, C. ceylonensis C. liocephalus ee so bc e e boy og se bs ees C. liolepis e e


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so bcs ogse o s boy. C. liolepis g e oe sg o e goe oe o speces g e oe o e go 45 ge. We ve obseve Gyobs ee o C. liolepis seve es. Dg s ovposog e e c o gyob b e z coe s ggg o y cge bevo.

Ase e . (2007) obseve ee egg yg epsoes o C. liolepis o ee -ee coos beee 1300 1540 e o o Feby. We so ee obsevo g 1430 1730 Ap. Tese obsevos sgges sspeces pees o y eggs e eoo g Feby-Ap. Hee e cope eggesees e ee obsevos by Ase e . (2007). We c coce

Fig. 4. a:Calotesversicolorpces e coc pee ove e opeg o e oe e yg eggs; b:Calotes liocephalus pces e poseo p o e boy se e oe e yg eggs; c:Calotes liolepispces e poseo p o s boy e opeg o e oe e s coe e oe ge yg eggs (gs e by A.A. Ts Asge).


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54 D.M.S. S K e

C. liolepis ys 2-4 eggs g 1300-1730 Feby-Ap, coscs oe 30-45 ee (vege s 35.75 ) oe ep = 38-50 (vege = 44 ). Teboy p s 140-150 ee (vege = 145 ; be 1). We coce ee ssbs bevo cossecy esg og ee C. liolepis.

Te C. liolepis spece s obseve e egg yg cg o oes ege oeep oes og y eves, c epe o be coge. Te g oo bo10 o copee s oey cb e e-ee Sterculia oetida ee. Te speceoC. liolepis s vey cve e cpe, bg oge s oe co be seebeee g sces o o. Aoy, soo s soy ycy. Ae gs, be escpos oes oC. liolepis e vbe pop os,boos gzes b os og exss o e pe- pos-g bevo,egg yg, cpve beeg o cgs. Iee cosevo eses e eeeo s eec oy eee z, e obsevos ee o s egg-yg co be se pg peeg sbe cosevo.

ACKNOWLEDGMENS

Te os s o D. C Bbey (IUCN S L) o e evege scp, M. Ts Asge o veos e gs vbe ep ge pepo o s ppe. O ee s go o M. Mes Wcsge, M. ByKe, M. S Pee, M. Sp Gooe, M. Ps Sc, M.N Pee, M. S Eye, M. V Weeg, M. S S M.Dp C (IUCN S L) o e ep g e pepo o s ppe. Weo so e o o M. Ke Me-Acc M. Des Gbge (We

Hege s o S L), M. N. B, (Hs Fs oe), cose coog coee(We s) so M. S Feo, og s o se s ce eqpes. Fy

able . Ecoogc cos egg oe escpo oCalotes liolepis o ses. De, Roesog1 2, bse o Ase e . (2007).

Ecoogc D De Roesog - 1 Roesog - 2 Mg

Mo Feby Feby Feby Ap

e o 1300-1400 1400-1500 1500-1540 1430-1730

So - Hs - We, D, So

Le e cess () 40 40 - 50

Copy Cove (%) 75 - - 75

Co cove - 5/8 6/8 6/8

epee (C) 27.1 - - 27.0

Dee o e boy p () 140 - - 150

Dep o e oe () 40 48 38 50Dee o e oe () 45 33 30 35

No. o eggs 2 4 2 3


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e o M. Abeye, M. C Soys, M. os Pes, M. As Uy-, M. P Sv, M. C Ase, M. Ry S M. Dev Jy- (YZA-Yog Zooogss Assoco) o s ep g e e vs D. SeoSc oyos evees o se coes.

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Ovipositional behaviour of Calotes liolepis (Sri Lanka)