Age structure and body size of the endangered species Darevskia bendimahiensis (Schmidtler, Eiselt & Darevsky, 1994) from eastern Turkey (Squamata, Sauria, Lacertidae)

By

Yıldırım, Elif
Kumlutaş, Yusuf
Candan, Kamil
Ilgaz, Cetin

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019-7-24

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

32

Pages

159--163

Subjects

Bendimahi lizard , endosteal resorption , life-history traits , Longevity , skeletochronology

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e37094

 

Abstract

The life-history traits of the parthenogenetic lizard Darevskiabendimahiensis were studied by skeletochronology in a population inhabiting highlands in Çaldıran, Van, Turkey. Endosteal resorption was observed in 18 specimens (55%). The mean age was 4.91 ± 0.19 SD years. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) was 51.11 ± 1.15 SD mm. The age at sexual maturity was estimated as 3 years. Longevity was 7 years. Snout-vent length and age were positively correlated (Spearman’s correlation; r = 0.797, P = 0.000). The aim of this study is to contribute to the future conservation activities for this endangered species.