Habitat use in eight populations of Sceloporus grammicus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the Mexican Plateau.

Studies on habitat use have often helped explain observed variation in morphology, behavior and reproductive characteristics among populations within a single species. Here we analyze morphological and ecological characteristics of individuals from the Sceloporus grammicus species complex from 7 different localities (CER, El Cerezo; PAC, Pachuca; HUI, Huichapan; EZA, Emiliano Zapata; SMR, San Miguel Regla; LMJ, La Mojonera; and LMZ, La Manzana) in the state of Hidalgo, and one locality (Cahuacán) in the State of Mexico. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that females from PAC, EZA, LMZ, HUI, SMR and CAH populations use similar microhabitats characterized mostly by bare soil, in females from LMJ and CER use microhabitats characterized primarily by vegetation and rocks.

Atypical reproductive cycles in a population of Sceloporus grammicus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the Mexican Plateau.

The spiny lizard Sceloporus grammicus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) is a small reptile from central México and the southern United States, occurring in a wide geographic area characterized by extensive variation in topographic and climatic regimes. Genetic variation among lineages from central México is substantial, though the extent to which this variation corresponds with life-history traits remains obscure. To address part of this puzzle, we studied a population of S.