REPRODUCTION IN THE VIVIPAROUS MEXICAN ENDEMIC LIZARD Abronia gadovii (SQUAMATA: ANGUIDAE)

Reproductive characteristics are determining factors in the evolutionary processes of reptiles; however, they remain poorly documented in many species. In this study, we evaluated aspects of reproductive biology and determined the influence of body size and weight on the reproductive effort of the lizard Abronia gadovii, an anguid species that is viviparous and terrestrial, endemic to the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico. Females of A. gadovii (N = 8) gave birth in mid-April, with litter sizes ranging from 2 to 8 neonates per individual. The relative litter mass index was 0.29, similar to that reported for some anguids of the subfamily Gerrhonotinae (e.g., Elgaria coerulea = 0.28) but lower than that of other species (e.g., Gerrhonotus infernalis = 0.44). We found no correlation between the size or weight of gravid females and the characteristics of their litters, in contrast to previous studies in other lizard families. Additional studies, as well as more rigorous comparative analyses, are needed to identify broader patterns of reproductive effort within anguids, whose reproductive biology remains poorly studied.