Does the Diet of Sceloporus variabilis Vary Along an Elevational Gradient?

Abstract

Abstract: Studies of elevational variation in diets in lizards have often found shifts in diet composition among elevations. Herein, we studied the diets of Sceloporus variabilis from six populations found in a variety of habitats along an elevational gradient (3–1900 m) in Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico. Diets of S. variabilis for the six populations were similar at the order level, with hymenopterans and coleopterans being the most important prey items. However, the specific taxa at the family or genus level varied among the six populations. The presence of plant material in diets varied among the six populations, with the two lowest elevation populations and the highest elevation population containing the most of this material.