Comparison of the effectiveness of phalanges vs. humeri and femurs to estimate lizard age with skeletochronologyBrief Communication

  1. M. Comas 1
  2. S. Reguera 2
  3. F.J. Zamora-Camacho 2
  4. H. Salvadó 3
  5. G. Moreno-Rueda 2
  1. 1 Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD–CSIC)
  2. 2 Universidad de Granada
    info

    Universidad de Granada

    Granada, España

    ROR https://ror.org/04njjy449

  3. 3 Universitat de Barcelona
    info

    Universitat de Barcelona

    Barcelona, España

    ROR https://ror.org/021018s57

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Journal:
Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

ISSN: 1578-665X

Year of publication: 2016

Volume: 39

Issue: 2

Pages: 237-240

Type: Article

DOI: 10.32800/ABC.2016.39.0237 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

Abstract

Skeletochronology allows estimation of lizard age with a single capture (from a bone), making long–term monitoring unnecessary. Nevertheless, this method often involves the death of the animal to obtain the bone. We tested the reliability of skeletochronology of phalanges (which may be obtained without killing) by comparing the estimated age from femurs and humeri with the age estimated from phalanges. Our results show skeletochronology of phalanges is a reliable method to estimate age in lizards as cross–section readings from all bones studied presented a high correlation and repeatability regardless of the bone chosen. This approach provides an alternative to the killing of lizards for skeletochronology studies.

Data source: Dialnet