Authors: John G. Swallow And Aurora M. Castilla

Authors: Rafael Márquez , Ignacio De La Riva , And Jaime Bosch

Authors: Gianluca Tosini And Roger Avery

Authors: Wilbert Bosman, Jan J. Van Gelder And Henk Strijbosch

Abstract: Closed drift fences, bow-nets and a telemetric system were used to study hibernation sites of two toad species in a floodplain. Both species hibernated terrestrially. Bufo bufo hibernated in meadows, thickets and woods/bushes on sand or clay in the higher as well as the lower parts of the floodplain. Bufo calamita clearly preferred sandy habitats in the higher parts where heaps of brick-debris were specially used. Both species selected their hibernation sites based on characteristics of vegetation and substrate, rather than in relation to the risk of flooding.

Authors: Pedro Galán

Abstract: The attainment of sexual maturity by males and females of the lacertid lizard Podarcis bocagei was studied in a population from NW Spain (La Corufia province). Two methods were used. The first method involved capture, marking and recapture of marked hatchlings in a study plot. The second method examined the development of sexual organs through dissection of lizard samples from the same locality. Sexual maturity was attained at a minimum size (females: 44-45 mm; males: 46-51 mm snout-vent length), not a minimum age. Some individual and seasonal variation was observed in this minimum size, which decreased as the reproductive season progressed. Slightly fewer than half of the individuals from a given cohort (50.0%- 44.4% in males and 47.1%-44.4% in females, from samples of 1989 and 1990 cohorts respectively) attained the minimum size and reproduced towards the end of the next reproductive period (at 11-12 months of age). The mature yearling individuals were those that hatched from the first clutches of the preceding year, most of them in July. By their second autumn, all specimens from the previous year's cohort had exceeded the sexual maturity-threshold size

Authors: Robert Schabetsberger, Susanne Brozek, Karl Entacher , Christian Jersabek And Alfred Goldschmid

Abstract: We present different polynomial functions to describe gastric evacuation rates of alpine newt larvae in relation to temperature and body dry weight. Gastric evacuation rates increased with increasing temperature and decreased with increasing body weight during early development. Gastric evacuation rates measured in the laboratory were low compared to those estimated under field conditions.

Authors: Susan G. Brown And Susan Murphy-walker

Abstract: A rare male phenotype of the unisexual gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris, was captured on the University of Hawaii, Hilo campus. The male was housed with females in different stages of their reproductive cycles. Observations were made of interactions between the male and individual females. The male approached females with either no evidence of egg development or small, probably ovarian, eggs more often than females with larger, probably oviductal, eggs; and was observed neck-biting and moving on top of females although no intromissions or copulations were observed. Female geckos were more aggressive than the male; the male was less likely to approach females that reacted to his approaches aggressively. Although it seemed that the male was attempting to court the female geckos, we do not know if courtship attempts failed because of the male or female behaviour. Sperm were present in the testes and epididymis. However, all motile sperm appeared to be headless, suggesting that the male was infertile