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Activity areas and daily movements of an arboreal monitor lizard, Varanus tristis (Squamata: Varanidae) during the breeding season
Author(s) -
THOMPSON G. G.,
DE BOER M.,
PIANKA E. R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
australian journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1442-9993
pISSN - 0307-692X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1442-9993.1999.241952.x
Subject(s) - squamata , arboreal locomotion , lizard , biology , zoology , seasonal breeder , ecology , habitat
During the breeding season, in the western Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia, male Varanus tristis move greater daily distances (186.5 m) than females (99.7 m) and have larger activity areas (40.3 ha vs 3.7 ha). V. tristis retreat predominantly to live and dead upright Eucalyptus gongylocarpa (marble gum) trees that have hollows in their trunks and limbs. There is no observable difference between males and females in their preferred habitat, but females are found more frequently in a lesser number of preferred retreats during the breeding season.