PREFERENCIAS ALIMENTARIAS Y POTENCIAL DISPERSOR DEL LAGARTO HERBIVORO PHYMATURUS FLAGELLIFER (TROPIDURIDAE) EN LOS ANDES

most of the reptilian species, particularily lizards, are insectivorous or omnivorous. due to this evidences the role which lizard could play in seed dispersal is largely unknown. phymaturus flagellifer is an herbivorous, saxicolous andean lizard. according to previous observations on its behavior and home range, this lizard could be depositing seeds far away from the parent plant. thus, phymaturus flagellifer could be suggested to be as a potential seed disperser. the objectives of this study are to determine if this lizard possesses dietary preferences among ingested sedds and to evaluate it is a legitimate seed disperser. for this, during march of 2003, seeds, plants, and faeces of phymaturus flagellifer were collected in a rocky area at laguna del laja national park. this lizard's home range was also estimated. to determine the effects of ingestion, we performed seed germination and viability tests. a total of 1298 seed was found, from 445 feces analyzed. the species berberis empetrifolia, rumex acetosella and calandrinia sp., were identified. the results uncover no dietary preference for r. acetosella and b. empetrifolia. a dietary preference was shown for calandrinia sp. seed germination and viability tests revealed that percentage germination of r. acetosella was significantly greater in the control seeds. in the other two species, no significant differences were detected. the results of the viability test show significant differences among three species. percentage viability of seeds of b. empetrifolia from the gut was higher than that of control seeds. in contrast, percentage viability of seeds of r. acetosella and calandrinia sp. was lower than that of those that had passed through the digestive tract. results of the home range analysis suggest that p. flagellifer could be dispersing seeds only a short distance away from the parent plant (i.e., 20.75 ± 1.01m2).thus, p. flagellifer can not be legitimized as a seed disperser of these plants. however, this li