Habitat Use, Home Range, and Hibernaculum of the Mongolian Racerunner, Eremias argus (Lacertidae, Reptilia) in a Coastal Sand Dune in South Korea

초록

Information on habitat use is critical in sizing protected areas for endangered reptile species. To investigate habitat use, home range, and hibernaculum of the endangered Mongolian Racerunner (Eremias argus), we radio-tracked 40 specimens in a coastal sand dune in South Korea. Of the 163 locations recorded during the breeding season, 150 (92.0%) were in grass sand dunes, and the rest (8.0%), all associated with the same lizard, were in shrub sand dunes. All of the 123 locations recorded during the non-breeding season were in grass sand dunes. No lizards were found in the grasslands abutting the dunes. The four lizards with identifiable hibernation sites were found under an average of 17.8 cm of sand and were all located in grass sand dunes. The lizards moved approximately 5 m daily and used 162 m(2) of home range (computed by minimum convex polygon, MCP) during the breeding season, and they moved approximately 2 m and used 68 m(2) of home range during the non-breeding season. However, the mean daily moved distances and MCP home ranges were not statistically significantly different between the seasons or between males and females. Our results suggest that in coastal sand dunes, E. argus uses grass sand dunes as its main habitat throughout the year. This finding could be used to determine the appropriate habitat size and to designate for the conservation of this endangered species.

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