Occurence of asymmetry of meristic characteristics in a population of ruin lizard (Podarcis sicula Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) in Zagreb

Istraživanje populacije primorske gušterice Podarcis sicula (Rafinesque-Schmaltz 1810) provedeno je na području željezničke pruge Zapadni kolodvor, Zagreb tijekom 2008. godine. Sakupljanje uzoraka vršeno je u razdoblju od 28. srpnja do 08. kolovoza 2008. godine, te je ulovljeno 100 odraslih jedinki primorske gušterice. Utvrđen je spolni dimorfizam za sve proučavane biometrijske osobine (mužjaci su u prosjeku veći od ženki), kao i za četiri analizirana meristička parametra. Na razini populacije nije utvrđena pojava asimetrije parnih merističkih osobina, iako je početna pretpostavka ovog diplomskog rada bila da će stresni životni uvjeti utjecati na njenu pojavu.The research regarding the population of the coastal lizard Podarcis sicula (Rafinesque- Schmaltz, 1810) has been conducted at the railroad area of Zapadni kolodvor (Western Railroad Terminal) in Zagreb during 2008.Collecting of the samples has been performed in the period from 28th of July, 2008. to 8th of August, 2008. During that period, one hundred grown specimens of the aforementioned lizard have been caught. A gender dimorphism has been determined for all of the researched metric characteristics (on an average, male specimens are bigger than the female ones) and also for the four analyzed meristic criterions. On a population level, an emersion of the asymmetry of the even meristic characteristics hasn't been detected although the initial assumption of this thesis presumed that the stressful living conditions will have an effect on it's occurence