ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS DO INFLUENCE THE NESTING BEHAVIOUR OF FAN-THROATED LIZARD SITANA PONTICERIANA (CUVIER)

Abstract

The extraneous factors those are driving the organism in nest site selection have received hardly any attention in nesting ecology studies despite their importance in drawing effective conservation and management programmes. The current study presents the results of a careful study made on the nest site selection and the behavioral mechanisms of Fan-throated Lizard, Sitana ponticeriana. The females were observed to show a choice for the selection of nesting sites, out of 10 nests 7 were found under a bush and the rest 3 nests were in the open ground. Temperature and humidity were observed to be the most important factors governing the nest site selection. Pseudo-nests were also recorded around the main nests that were made on open ground; which were perhaps constructed to deceive the predators and hence, protect the clutch. The activity of egg lying was found commences from late June and continued till the end of September. The clutch size was observed to be larger in the nests dug under the bush as compared to the nests that were constructed in the open ground. Though, parental care is not often seen in reptiles, the selection of cover to hide the clutch and construction of pseudo-nests observed in the current species has anything to indicate it is nothing but an ample testimony to the existence of primitive parental care in this group of animals.