Food and feeding habits of the sand fish lizard scincus mitranus

Abstract EN

Food and feeding habits of the skink (Scincus mitranus), were investigated in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia.

A marked diet seasonal preference and variation was observed.

The skink feeds selectively from the available resources.

The stomach contents contained six categories; three of which were exclusively insects and the rest were plant remains, sand and unidentified materials.

The highest amount of food was recorded during spring, while the lowest was during summer.

Plant materials were mostly consumed during autumn and insect larvae intake was common during winter.

This lizard is an active hunter.

During summer the activity is bimodal, while it is unimodal during spring.