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Lizard Species Density in the Kalahari Desert
Author(s) -
Pianka Eric R.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1933808
Subject(s) - lizard , ecology , habitat , sympatry , desert (philosophy) , nocturnal , sauria , geography , biology , philosophy , epistemology
From 12 to 18 species of desert lizards occur in ecologic sympatry on 10 study areas in the Kalahari desert of southern Africa. The number of species of diurnal lizards is similar to the number in the North American deserts, while the nocturnal component of the saurofauna is more comparable to that occurring in the Australian deserts. The between—habitat component of species density is similar in the American and the Kalahari deserts, but is markedly greater in the Australian desert. A variety of climatic and vegetational statistics are examined for the 10 areas, and correlations with lizard species density are discussed.