Haya: The Saudi Journal of Life Sciences (SJLS)
Volume-3 | Issue-05 | 414-419
Original Research Article
Habitat Selection by Spiny-Tailed Lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia) in Hengam Island, Iran
Shirin Aghanajafizadeh, Asghar Mobaraki
Published : May 30, 2018
Abstract
A population of spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia) exists in Hengam
Island in the Persian Gulf. The field work was carried out over a period of 10 days by
the use of a four-member group work in May 2015 through 10 random transects in the
whole Island by the use of motorcycle. Once the animal’s cavity was found, some
plots with dimensions of 10 by 10 meters were established over the center hole of the
spiny-tailed lizard and habitat variables such as the region slope, geographical
direction, type of the soil texture, percentage and number of plant cover according to
species, distance to the nearest water source, road, and vegetation patches were
measured. The habitat factors measured in the control points where there were no
signs of the animal’s holes were also measured and compared with the present points.
Ultimately, 28 holes of the spiny-tailed lizard in 7colony that had far from each other,
were considered in the region. The results showed that the spiny-tailed lizard of the
regions with a mean slope of 10% facing towards the north preferred rather semi hard
soils (contain gravel and silt) (p<0.05). To protect the population of this species in the
region, paying attention to some effective parameters such as the percentage cover of
plant species, region slope and Acacia tree are of the most important factors for the
use of the habitat of this species.