Reproductive and fat body cycle of the lizard Liolaemus wiegmanni

AbstractAdults of Liolaemus wiegmanni, a species which inhabits the west chacoan subtropical zone of South America, exhibit late winter and spring reproductive activity. Females have vitellogenic follicles, ovulation, fertilization and are ovigerous between August and January (Austral late winter, s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Amphibia-reptilia 1991, Vol.12 (2), p.195-202
Main Author: Ramirez Pinilla, Martha Patricia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Non mammalian vertebrate reproduction
Vertebrates: reproduction
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Summary:AbstractAdults of Liolaemus wiegmanni, a species which inhabits the west chacoan subtropical zone of South America, exhibit late winter and spring reproductive activity. Females have vitellogenic follicles, ovulation, fertilization and are ovigerous between August and January (Austral late winter, spring and early summer). In males, testicular volume begins to increase in March (early fall), peaks in October (spring), and declines in early summer. Fat body cycles are similar in both females and males. The female fat body cycle is inversely related to the reproductive cycle and in males abdominal fat bodies increase during the increment of testicular volume in the fall, but decrease during the winter and disappear during the breeding season. Fat body stores appear to be used by females for winter nutrition and for vitellogenesis in late winter. Males utilize their fat body reserves during winter months for nutritition and possibly for initial displays of courtship and copulation in late winter.
ISSN:0173-5373
1568-5381
DOI:10.1163/156853891X00167