Abstract

CASTANEDA-GAYTAN, Gamaliel; GADSDEN, Héctor; LOPEZ-CORRUJEDO, Hugo  and  ESTRADA-RODRIGUEZ, José Luis. Historia de vida de Uma paraphygas (Sauria: Phrynosomatidae) en la reserva de la biosfera de Mapimí, Durango. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2003, n.89, pp.169-184. ISSN 2448-8445.

Uma paraphygas is an endemic lizard which is in danger of extinction because of its very restricted distribution, low genetic variability, and the high environmental pressure to which it is exposed. Two populations of U. paraphygas were observed in two areas of 2 ha each in the Mapimi Biosphere Reserve, Durango. The field work was carried out from autumn of 1997 to the summer of 1999. The survey was made by the capture-recapture method, using the noose technique. The animals captured were marked permanently. This survey provides information about the structure and dynamics of two populations of this lizard in order to determine its current status. Density, biomass, age structure, growth rates, survival, population replacement rate and generational time of this lizard were determined. Density and biomass changed in relation to acumulated rainfall. There were no significant differences for density and biomass factors between the two populations. The higest percentage of the population was represented by adult females followed by adult males. The highest daily growth rate was for offspring of both sexes which gradually decreased as they grow older. Offspring annual survival was 0.20. However, the lowest survival rate was for subadult females, while the highest one was for subadult males. We suggest that the survival for different age classes is related to intraspecific competition factors. The population replacement rate indicated an apparent stability for the two populations, and the generational time was 1.26 years.

Keywords : Uma paraphygas; Phrynosomatidae; ecology; life history; Mapimí Biosphere Reserve; Chihuahuan Desert.