Reproductive characteristics of the viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara Lichtenstein)

Živorodna gušterica, Zootoca vivipara Lichtenstein 1823 ima najveći areal rasprostranjenja od svih gmazova, ali njena je rasprostranjenost na na području Republike Hrvatske i Bosne i Hercegovine slabo poznata. Zbog toga je napravljena nova karta distribucije ove vrste. Živorodna gušterica jedina je unutar porodice Lacertidae koja ima dva načina razmnožavanja, oviparni i ovoviviparni. Proučavane su dvije populacije: jedna s planine Vlašić (BIH; pripada podvrsti Zootoca vivipara vivipara Von Jacquin, 1787) i druga iz šume Spačva (RH; smatra se da pripada podvrsti Zootoca vivipara pannonica Lac & Kluch, 1968). Kako bih utvrdila njihovu reproduktivnu strategiju, sakupila sam gravidne ženke i držala ih u terariju sve do izlijeganja mladih. Bilježila sam promjene mase ženki prije i poslije polijeganja jaja, te masu i veličinu jaja i tek izleglih mladunaca. Istraživanje je pokazalo da veće ženke imaju veća legla i veće i teže potomstvo, dok rezultati t-testa pokazuju da oviparne ženke imaju veća legla, veću srednju masu i srednje SVL vrijednosti mladunaca.Viviparous lizard, Zootoca vivipara Lichtenstein 1823 is wide-distributed reptile but data on it’s distribution in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is scanty. It is the only lacertid lizard with two modes of reproduction, oviparous and ovoviviparous. Two geographically distinct populations were studied. One from Vlašić (BIH; Zootoca vivipara vivipara Von Jacquin, 1787 subspecies) and other from Spačva (CRO; considered to be Zootoca vivipara pannonica Lac & Kluch, 1968). Gravid females were collected from sampling sites, to establish their reproductive mode. They were put into terraria until juveniles hatched. Data on female body mass change (before and after oviposition and parturition respectively), size and mass of both eggs and hatchlings were taken. Population from Vlašić was ovoviviparous while population from Spačva was oviparous. This research also proved heavier and bigger females to have larger clutch size and hatchlings with larger SVL size and bigger mass. Results obtained from t-test showed that that oviparous females have larger clutch size and hatchlings with bigger average SVL size and average body mass