Diet of a lacertid lizard (Podarcis milensis) in an insular dune ecosystem

This study reports on the seasonal, sex, and age differences in the diet composition of a population of the lacertid lizard Podarcis milensis inhabiting an arid sand dune on Milos Island (Aegean Archipelago, Greece). Stomach contents of 191 animals were analyzed and compared with prey availability data. The most important prey types were Hemiptera, Coleoptera (other than Tenebrionidae), spiders, and ants. Other prey items included plant material and insect larvae, both constantly consumed throughout the year. Differences in the taxonomic composition of the diet were found between males and females and between juveniles and all other classes. The greatest similarity of diet composition between the sexes and ages examined was during summer. The foraging patterns observed are discussed within the context of the specific study system: an insular, low productivity, sand dune ecosystem.