Habitat preference of two subspecies of the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) in Kansas.

Abstract

Two distinct subspecies of the eastern fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus, occur in Kansas. A gap in their distribution seems to isolate the two subspecies from each other in the northern part of their range, and there is little, if any, evidence of intergradation between these two subspecies in southern Kansas. Eighty-seven habitat variables were measured at 14 localities. These variables described components of vegetation, available food items, topography and weather. Principal components were extracted from the data set to determine the habitat preferences of these lizards. S.u. hyancinthinus habitat was characterized by the presence of a large number of trees and canopy cover while ~. y. garmani preferred a more terrestrial habitat consisting of open sandy areas with sparse vegetation; neither subspecies was found in areas in which the vegetation was dominated by grasses. These habitat preferences provided an explanation for the gap in the distribution of this species that occurs in the Flint Hills and the lack of intergradation between the subspecies in southern Kansas.