Vol. 76 (3) 2024

ARTICLES

Age and Body Size of Levant Green Lizard Lacerta media Lantz & Cyrén, 1920 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in a Highland Turkish Population

Mustafa Okan Bayrak, Ufuk Bülbül*, Halime Koç-Gür & Ali Ihsan Eroğlu

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*Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080 Trabzon, Türkiye; ufukb@ktu.edu.tr

https://doi.org/10.71424/azb76.3.002729

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Abstract
This study used skeletochronology to assess the relationships of age and body length of the individuals in a population of the Levant green lizard (Lacerta media), located in the Harmancık Village, Torul District, Gümüşhane Province. The mean age and SVL in the adult individuals of the Harmancık population were 101.57 ± 4.04 mm and 5.31 ± 1.34 years for all individuals (101.10 ± 3.61 mm and 5.31 ± 1.03 years in adult females and 102.09 ± 4.57 mm and 5.33 ± 1.67 years in adult males). The age range varied was 4-8 years in adult males and 4-7 years in adult females. The age of the subadult males and subadult females was at 3 years, while the age of the two juveniles was 2 years. A positive correlation was found between body size (SVL) and age in adult female and male individuals of the species. A male-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD = -0.097) was observed.

Key words
SVL, age at maturity, longevity, Gümüşhane

How to Cite
Bayrak M.O., Bülbül U., Koç-Gür H. & Eroğlu A.I. 2024. Age and Body Size of Levant Green Lizard Lacerta media Lantz & Cyrén, 1920 (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in a Highland Turkish Population. Acta zoologica bulgarica 76 (3) 333-339.

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