The Herpetological Journal

pp.91-94

Authors: Ma. Carmen Blázquez, Carmen Díaz-paniagua And José A. Mateo

Abstract: In a year of drought conditions, gravid chameleons showed difficulties at the time of oviposition and made unsuccessful attempts at nesting. Two females died while constructing nests and 10 females retained eggs in the oviduct after oviposition; death was subsequently confirmed for three of the latter. Female chameleons that died whilst laying eggs, or those that retained eggs, were smaller in body length and body mass and were in poorer physical condition than females that survived long after nesting. After depleting their reserves by allocating them to egg production, it is unlikely that some females were able to complete the gravid period in sufficiently good condition to survive the effort of nesting and oviposition,

Keywords: Chamaeleo chamaeleon, reproduction, egg-retention, nesting, cost, mortality