Where does the desert chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon musae lay its eggs in the North Western Negev?

A Bouskila, R Shachal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

It is important to understand nest sites requirements of egg-laying reptiles because constraints on suitable sites may limit species distribution. Choosing sites with appropriate conditions is particularly crucial in C. c. musae, because its eggs remain buried in the desert soil for 11 months. The most efficient way to find nests was to scan large areas for chameleon tracks from horseback and when found, to follow them on foot and look for the nest. Females nested in two habitats: semi-stable sand and shallow wadis in sandy-loess, even though the latter get submerged under water during flash floods. Chameleons excavated several shallow burrows that were eventually abandoned before excavating the nest. We found 34 attempted burrows and chameleons nested in seven of them. In one case, before choosing a nest, a female traveled half a kilometer over a week and attempted excavation of six burrows. The eggs are laid at the end of a burrow up to 2.30m long and up to 1.10m below surface. After laying the eggs females cover the entrance and camouflage it. Temperatures in one nest fluctuated between 14-28ºC over the year, but with no diurnal fluctuations. Whether females lay all their eggs in one burrow is yet to be determined.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)75
JournalIsrael Journal of Ecology and Evolution
Volume56
Issue number1
StatePublished - 2010

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