TY - JOUR
T1 - Reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the viviparous lizard Sceloporus palaciosi (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Mexico
AU - Ramírez-Bautista, Aurelio
AU - Sites, Jack W.
AU - Marshall, Jonathon C.
AU - Cruz-Elizalde, Raciel
AU - Díaz-Marín, César A.
AU - Hernández-Salinas, Uriel
AU - Berriozabal-Islas, Christian
AU - García-Rosales, Aaron
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - In this study, sexual dimorphism, reproductive cycles, litter size and offspring size of a population of the little-known species Sceloporus palaciosi in central Mexico were analysed. Significant male-biased sexual size dimorphism was recorded in snout–vent length (SVL), head length, head width, forearm length and tibia length. Both sexes showed asynchronous reproductive cycles, and males reached sexual maturity at a smaller SVL (33 mm) than females (37 mm). Testes volumes were small from January to February, testicular recrudescence began from March to June, and decreased in July, but increased again in August and September, followed by a second decrease from October to December. In females, vitellogenesis began from May until ovulation in December. Embryonic development extended from November to March, and a small number of females carried embryos through July. Mean litter size was 4.0 and was positively correlated with female SVL. The length of the reproductive period in S. palaciosi recorded in this study is longer than that recorded for other populations in other parts of this species range. Further studies are needed to clarify reproductive cycles in the other isolated populations of S. palaciosi, and then extended to other species and chromosome races in the Sceloporus grammicus complex.
AB - In this study, sexual dimorphism, reproductive cycles, litter size and offspring size of a population of the little-known species Sceloporus palaciosi in central Mexico were analysed. Significant male-biased sexual size dimorphism was recorded in snout–vent length (SVL), head length, head width, forearm length and tibia length. Both sexes showed asynchronous reproductive cycles, and males reached sexual maturity at a smaller SVL (33 mm) than females (37 mm). Testes volumes were small from January to February, testicular recrudescence began from March to June, and decreased in July, but increased again in August and September, followed by a second decrease from October to December. In females, vitellogenesis began from May until ovulation in December. Embryonic development extended from November to March, and a small number of females carried embryos through July. Mean litter size was 4.0 and was positively correlated with female SVL. The length of the reproductive period in S. palaciosi recorded in this study is longer than that recorded for other populations in other parts of this species range. Further studies are needed to clarify reproductive cycles in the other isolated populations of S. palaciosi, and then extended to other species and chromosome races in the Sceloporus grammicus complex.
KW - Sceloporus grammicus group
KW - litter size
KW - reproductive cycle
KW - sexual dimorphism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85075126901&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/azo.12315
DO - 10.1111/azo.12315
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0001-7272
VL - 102
SP - 63
EP - 76
JO - Acta Zoologica
JF - Acta Zoologica
IS - 1
ER -