Abstract

CABRERA, María P  and  SCROCCHI, Gustavo J. Reproducción y ciclo de cuerpos grasos de Liolaemus espinozai Abdala, 2005 (Sauria: Liolaemidae) en Campo El Arenal, Catamarca, Argentina. Rev. Mus. Argent. Cienc. Nat. [online]. 2019, vol.21, n.2, pp.169-178. ISSN 1853-0400.

The reproductive pattern is a characteristic of major importance to understand the life history of a species, which depends of evolutionary history and ecology. We described the reproduction. We analyzed the reproductive and fat bodies cycle in males and females, and its relation with temperature, photoperiod and precipitation. Liolaemus espinozai is an oviparous species with a typical seasonal Spring-Summer reproductive pattern, starting its ovulation and fecundation in Spring, and its oviposition and hatching in Summer. Female reproductive activity begins with yolkled follicles in November; from December to middle January oviductal eggs can be observed and from middle January to early February females show distended oviduct. Male activity begins at the end of September, its testicle volume increases, and reaches the maximum in November. Later, the volume decreases and is minimal between January and March. The number of eggs varies from 2 to 7 and is correlated with the SVL, indicating that bigger females have more eggs. The pattern is similar to that of phylogenetically closer species.

Keywords : Lizards; Oviparous; Reproductive pattern; Temperate climate.