Some food plants of the star tortoise Geochelone elegans at Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu

1 Pages·1992·6.9 MB·

by  S Alagar Rajan

290 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURAL 1UST. SOCIE1Y, Vol. 88
place where these arthropods take shelter during the nests of the baya are used by both useful and harmful
winter, probably because it is better insulated than arthropods.
other parts of the nest, and is thus helpful for I express my sincere thanks to Dr. B.K. Biswas,
thermoregulation in these cold blooded animals. This Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, for
‘site’ is equally good for hatching ofeggs also. identification of spiders, to Dr. Sushi Kumar,
I
Spiders play an important role in biological Entomologist, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun,
control of insect pests, but many insect pests like the for identification of the red cotton bug, and to Dr.
red cotton bug Dysdercus cingulatus Which infest Shiva Sharma, Dept, of Botany, University of
,
many cultivated and wild plants, take shelter in baya Rajasthan, Jaipur, for guidance and encouragement.
nests during winter. When winter passes, these
insects come out from their ‘hides', multiply and start
a fresh attack on agricultural crops. Thus, abandoned August 10, 1989 SATISH KUMAR SHARMA
SOME FOOD PLANTS OF THE STAR TORTOISE GEOCHELONE ELEGANS
20.
AT POINT CALIMERE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, TAMIL NADU
The star tortoise (icochclonc clagans occurs in
Point Calimcrc Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, and Tam.
if. 1
is commonly seen during monsoon in the open FOOD PLANTS OFSTAR 'TORTOISE AT FT. CALIMERE
grazing lands. It is mostly crepuscular and
Species family Part eaten
omnivorous, but inclined to be vegetarian (Tllli book
of INDIAN REP'llLFS, Daniel, J.C. 1983). During our Alysicarpus momlifer Papilionaceae Leaves
BNHS
field trips for the project at Point Calimcrc, Alysicarpus \agimilis Papilionaceae Leaves
whenever a star tortoise was encountered it was Cyperus sp. C'yperacea Leaves
followed and a record of the plants eaten by the Dactylocteniam aegyptium (iramineae Ixaves
tortoise was maintained from 19<S7. Altogether seven Euphorbia hirta Luphorhiaeeae waves
I
food plants were identified and are listed in Table 1. Ipomoea pescaprae Convolvulaeeae Mowers
According to itif; book of Indian rhptifhs they Pentalropis capensis Ascle.piaJaeeae Leaves
feed on succulents such as Cissus quadrangularis,
fallen fruits, grasses and similar vegetation. The food
plants mentioned here give more precise data on the S. ALAGAR RAJAN
food plants of this tortoise. November 26, 1990 P. BALASUBRAMANIAN
CANNIBALISM BY COMMON GARDEN LIZARD CALOTES VERSICOLOR
21.
On 11 November 1990, at about 1100 hrs, I complete the whole processofswallowing.
observed an adult common garden lizard Calotas When had completed swallowing, was
it it
mm
versicolor on a thatched roof in the World Forestry captured. It measured about 330 in length. The
Arboretum, Jaipur. The lizard was involved in a cannibalistic lizard was then imprisoned in a cage
tussle with a subadult of its own species. Soon one made of fine mesh it) study its digestive capacity.
more adult lizard appeared from nearby and tried Unfortunately on 14 November at about 0815 hrs it
to snatch the subadult from its competitor, but the was freed by one of our labourers unknowingly. The
first adult lizard immediately picked up the empty case was scrutinised and three excreta pellets
subadull in its mouth and rushed to a safer place, were found in it giving an indication of the slow
hardly five metres from the previous spot. It then digestion of the prey.
started swallowing the unfortunate subadult head The food habits of the common garden lizard
first, taking approximately eight minutes to have been described in till-; book of Indian reptiles