Reproductive characteristics of two syntopic lizard species, Sceloporus gadoviae and Sceloporus jalapae (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae), from Tehuacan Valley, Puebla, Mexico

We studied the reproductive characteristics of 2 syntopic lizard species, Sceloporus gadoviae and Sceloporus jalapae (Phrynosomatidae). Specimens of S. gadoviae (N = 105) and S. jalapae (N = 41) were collected in a tropical arid forest from Tehuacan Valley, Puebla, Mexico. Males of S. gadoviae reached sexual maturity at the same snout-vent length (SVL; 45.0 mm) as S. jalapae, and a similar pattern occurred in females of both species (SVL; 41.0 and 42.0 mm, respectively). Males of S. gadoviae exhibited reproductive activity throughout the year, with a longer activity during the dry (November to May) and part of the wet season (June to September). In contrast, reproductive activity in S. jalapae males occurred during the wet season (July to September). Females of S. gadoviae showed continuous reproduction, whereas females of S. jalapae exhibited seasonal reproduction. Mean SVL of sexually mature females was higher for S. gadoviae ((x) over bar ± s(x) = 50.4 ± 0.52) than for S. jalapae (46.0 ± 0.54, P < 0.0001). Mean clutch size for S. gadoviae was lower (3.9 ± 0.14 eggs) than for S. jalapae (5.6 ± 0.43). There was no significant correlation between snout-vent length of females and clutch size of S. gadoviae (r(2) = 0.22 P > 0.05) or S. jalapae (r(2) = 0.48, P > 0.05). Our study Suggests that although both species inhabit the same environment, they have different reproductive characteristics.