KEANEKARAGAMAN JENIS DAN KARAKTERISTIK HABITAT SUB ORDO LACERTILIA DI BLOK PASIR LEUTIK DESA TUNDAGAN KAB KUNINGAN

Abstract

Pasir Leutik is a secondary forest surrounded by community plantations dominated by non

timber forest products, spices, and fruit trees, so the presence of the Lacertilia suborder as

a natural pest-control agent strongly affects plantation productivity. However,

comprehensive data on the diversity and habitat characteristics of Lacertilia in this block

remain unavailable. This study aimed to determine the species diversity of the Lacertilia

suborder and the habitat characteristics of each species found in the Pasir Leutik Block,

Tundagan Village, Hantara Subdistrict, Kuningan Regency. Data were collected using the

Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method for lizard inventory and the quadrant method for

vegetation and abiotic characterization, followed by descriptive analysis and calculation of

the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. The results recorded 6 families, 14 species, and 52

individuals of the Lacertilia suborder, with a diversity index (H') of 2.14, categorized as

moderate. The undergrowth habitus was dominated by Begonia (Begonia sp.) and

Homalomena (Homalomena sp.), the shrub habitus by Senggani (Melastoma sp.) and

Kaliandra (Calliandra sp.), and the tree habitus by Bunut (Ficus glauca), Pisitan Hutan

(Lansium sp.), and Lame (Alstonia scholaris). Daily temperature ranged from 24-27ºC and

relative humidity from 78.3-86.5%. These findings indicate that Pasir Leutik secondary

forest still supports a moderately diverse and structurally stable Lacertilia community,

underscoring the importance of habitat protection and sustainable management to maintain

the ecological role of lizards as natural pest controllers for surrounding community

plantations.