Flux hydriques et métabolisme énergétique dans un peuplement de Lacertidés des îles Kerkennah (Tunisie)

Water flux and daily energy expenditure were measured with doubly labeled water (3HH18O) in two insectivorous sympatric species of Lacertidae of Kerkennah islands (Tunisia), Eremias olivieri (mean body mass: 1.1 g) and Acanthodactylus pardalis (4.5 g) in a semiarid environment. Water turnover and field metabolic rate of Eremias olivieri (174 μL H2O g−1 d−1 and 250 J g−1 d−1) were, respectively, 2.5 and 5 times higher than those of Acanthodactylus pardalis (70 μL H2O g−1 d−1 and 52 J g−1 d−1). The water turnover of Eremias olivieri is one of the highest known among insectivorous lizards, and the daily energy expenditure of Acanthodactylus pardalis one of the lowest. The most plausible explanations are the differences in the size of the prey eaten by each species at this time of the season and in the duration of daily activity; the daily activity of Acanthodactylus pardalis is short (4.5 h d−1) although it is a sit-and-wait predator, whereas Eremias olivieri is active regularly every day for a longer period (7.5 h d−1) although it is an active forager. The high values of water turnover in Eremias olivieri suggest that food is not the only source of water for lizards in this particular insular environment.