Food Composition of the Unisexual Lizard, Darevskia unisexualis (Darevsky, 1966) from Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey

Abstract

The study presents data on the food composition of the Unisexual Lizard, Darevskia unisexualis (Darevsky, 1966), from Hanak, Ardahan, Turkey. A total of 172 preys were determined in the digestive systems of 44 individuals examined in the study. Insecta, Aranea, Malacostraca, and Gastropoda constitute food composition of lizards. Major prey groups in the food composition are included in Hymenoptera (46.5%), Coleoptera (13.4%), Diptera (8.1%), Lepidoptera (7.6%), Orthoptera (7%) and Hemiptera (7%) in number, whereas Hymenoptera (70%), Lepidoptera (25%), Coleoptera (23%), and Diptera (20%) in frequency. Our result confirm that the Unisexual Lizard is an insectivorous and active predator and generally feed with poor flying or non-flying invertebrates.