Activity patterns of Callisaurus draconoides at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley, California
Kay FR. 1972. Activity patterns of Callisaurus draconoides at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley, California. Herpetologica. 28(1):65-69
Saratoga Springs is the study site for this investigation of zebra-tailed lizards (Callisaurus draconoides) in Death Valley. The author studied both daily and seasonal activity, finding activity from February through October, with the height in May, June, and July. The author notes that the beginning of spring activity correlates with flowering of creosote bushes, and suggests that the end of activity in fall is connected with hours of sunlight. The daily pattern during summer is different from that of other lizards: while there is more activity early and late in the day, having no complete stop between allows this species to avoid predators and competing lizards during the middle of the day. Temperature of their surroundings is the main determinant of daily activity patterns of the lizards.The summer diel pattern differs from other desert lizards and suggests that Callisaurus draconoides occupies an otherwise empty temporal niche.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kay, Fenton
- Units
- DEVA
- Keywords
- Absence (Biodiversity), Activity Level, Amargosa River channel, ambient temperature, Animal Behavior, Animal Studies, Callisaurus draconoides (Zebra-tailed Lizard), Death Valley National Park CA NV, diel, Ibex Mountains San Bernardino County California, Larrea tridentata, Phenology, Phrynosomatidae (North American Spiny Lizard), Presence (Biodiversity), Reptilia (Reptiles), San Bernardino County California, Saratoga Springs Death Valley National Park CA NV, Seasonality, Squamata, Taxa Links To References, Thermograph