Diet analysis of Acanthodactylus scutellatus (AUDOUIN, 1809) (Lacertidae) in the Algerian septentrional Sahara (Oued Souf)
Mouane Aicha, Ayati Hadjer, Korichi Raounak and Mesbahi Karima
The diet of an Algerian population of Acanthodactyle was studied with the aims of exploring: the variation in diet among males and females and between the habitats in particular between the palm grove and the erg.
The study of the diet of lizard Acanthodactylus scutellatus, was realized in the region of the Souf, which is located in the South East to Algeria.
The analyzes of the stomach contents of the captured individuals made it possible to measure the relative abundance of the prey consumed. Indeed, the diet was composed of the hymenoptera with a percentage of 38.4%, Homoptera with 30.4%, of the Coleoptera with 12.2%, Lepidoptera with 6%, of Diptera with 5.6%, the Dermoptera and the Collembola with 0.4%, including, Arachnida and the plants. The present study revealed that males consume much of the hymenoptera than the females which prefers Homoptera. So the diet varies according to the sex (males and females) and according to the habitats (Palm grove and the erg). So, there exist relations between qualities, quantities of prey and the size of the individuals of Acanthodactylus scutellatus.