The lizard community from Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

Setting conservation priorities for animal comnmunities requires general knowledge of their composition and structure. This paper presents basic Information on the composition and structure of the lizard cammunity of Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, México, Samphng pirocedures included capture of live animáis and observations along 19 transect lines in the different vegetation types of the island, Nine species of lizards were collecied/observed during three fieid trips. Five species are habitat specialists and four are habitat generalists, Fifteen different microhabitats were recognized, Aristelliger georgeensis and Sceloporus cozumela were microhabitat specialists. Tropical semideciduous forest accounted for the highest Alpha diversity, but high Beta diversily indicated similar lizard assemblages throughout the island. Classification of the species based on ecological and biogeographical data indicated that rare species, Cnemidophorus cozumela, Sceloporus cozumelae and Aristelliger georgeensis, are threatened on the island,