A skeletochronological study of parthenogenetic lizards of genus <em>Darevskia</em> from Turkey

Abstract

The skeletochronological method has been used to assess age distribution and age-related differences in body size among populations of the parthenogenetic lizards Darevskia sapphirina, D. uzzelli, D. armeniaca and D. unisexualis from Turkey and Armenia. The age distribution between D. armeniaca and D. unisexualis did not significantly differ and ranged from 1 to 8 years. Maximum age for both D. uzzelli and D. sapphirina was 6 years, and 8 years for both D. unisexualis and D. armeniaca. In all the studied species, individuals reached sexual maturity after third hibernation. According to patterns of growth marks resorption, D. sapphirina is distinguished from all other rock lizards of genus Darevskia by a narrowest periosteal bone as result of high rate of endosteal resorption resulting in complete destruction of hatchling line and line of the first hibernation.