Diet and Foraging Behavior of Two Species of Tropidurus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in the Caatinga of Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT. Tropidurus semitaeniatus and Tropidurus hispidus are widely distributed lizard species in Brazil. The former is endemic to the Caatinga, where it lives in syntopy with the latter, which is distributed in other ecosystems and biomes. In this study, we explored the diet, its seasonal variation, as well as foraging behavior of both species inhabiting rock outcrops in a Caatinga area of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Leaves were the most important food item in the diet of both species, followed by ants and termites. No significant difference was found in diet composition between the two species, although T. hispidus feeds on larger prey than T. semitaeniatus. Our results indicate that T. semitaeniatus and T. hispidus are opportunistic foragers with similar, generalized diets, showing temporal variation in their diets apparently related to prey availability.