Seasonal changes in the diet of adult and juvenileAgama impalearis(Lacertilia: Agamidae) in the central Jbilet mountains, Morocco

The diet of adult and juvenileAgama impaleariswas studied over a 1-year period at an arid area in western Morocco. Formicidae, Isoptera and Coleoptera constituted most of their food, but various other arthropods and plant materials were also taken. There was marked seasonality in prey size and volumetric proportions of the major food items. The principal seasonal dietary change was the increase of ants and termites during summer in juveniles and adults, respectively, while plants were consumed much less. Differences in prey size selection and proportions of eaten prey between adults and juveniles could be attributed not only to differences in their body size but also to their habitat and activity patterns. Comparisons with other lizard populations from different environments suggested that the importance of Formicidae and/or Isoptera as prey, and probably also the importance of plants during cold months, would be a common feature of the agamid food habits in arid hot ecosystems.