Great capricorn beetle-created corridors as refuges for lizards

By

Borczyk, Bartosz
Gottfried, Iwona
Urban, Radosław G.
Kania, Jarosław

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022-3-14

Original Publication

Herpetozoa

Volume

35

Pages

59--63

Subjects

Anguis fragilis , Cerambyx cerdo , Conservation , ecosystem engineers , Lacerta agilis , Niche , Zootoca vivipara

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e81190

 

Abstract

Ecosystem engineering is among the most important factors shaping ecosystems; however, it remains largely unstudied. Here, we present observations on three lizard species, the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, the sand lizard Lacerta agilis, and the slow worm Anguis fragilis, which use habitats created by the great capricorn beetle, Cerambyx cerdo. These galleries are heavily used by the common lizards and young sand lizards. We discuss the possible advantages of such beetle-created habitats for reptiles: antipredator refuges, hibernation sites, thermoregulatory behaviour, and preying activities. Since previous studies have reported numerous invertebrate species as well as vertebrates (including bats and snakes) in these refugia, we find the great capricorn beetle-inhabited oaks as potentially important microhabitats for a variety of animals.