Aggression, color signaling, and performance of the male color morphs of a Brazilian lizard (Tropidurus semitaeniatus)

Bruinjé, Andre C.; Coelho, Felipe Eduardo Alves; Paiva, Tales M. A.; Costa, Gabriel C.

doi:10.1007/s00265-019-2673-0

Cited by 24 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Melanistic coloured patches in the ventral thighs and pre‐cloacal flaps of adult males are diagnostic traits of the genus (Bruinjé, Coelho, et al, 2019; Bruinjé, Moura, et al, 2019; Ribeiro et al, 2012) but, to date, no chemical signalling function of these structures has been shown. Such patches can also be yellow coloured in T. semitaeniatus (Bruinjé, Coelho, et al, 2019; Bruinjé, Moura, et al, 2019), T. hispidus , T. oreadicus (A. C. Bruinjé, personal observation) and T. torquatus (Pinto et al, 2005). Pinto et al, (2005) reported ontogenetic changes in the colouration of femoral patches of T. torquatus , suggesting that patches were used in visual communication for sex recognition and hierarchy establishment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such visual signalling could occur during the behaviour of lifting the body, which were reported for the species (Pinto et al, 2005). In addition, in T. semitaeniatus , ventral patches become more evident during the breeding season (Ribeiro, Kolodiuk, & Freire, 2010) and intensity of ventral patches’ colouration in males of this species are correlated to increased levels of aggression (Bruinjé, Coelho, et al, 2019; Bruinjé, Moura, et al, 2019). On the other hand, Harvey and Gutberlet (1998) described these patches as a diagnostic trait of the genus and proposed that its colouration results from the production and secretion of chemical compounds, thus suggesting that it is of little importance for visual signalling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The genus Tropidurus (Wied‐Neuwied, 1825) is one of the best represented among tropidurids, with at least 31 described species (Reptile Database, 2018). A marked trait of this genus (and other genera) of this family is the presence of dark‐coloured patches (Figure 1d,f) at ventral thighs and pre‐cloacal flaps of adult males (Bruinjé, Coelho, Paiva, & Costa, 2019; Bruinjé, Moura, et al, 2019; Frost et al, 2001; Stebbins, Lowenstein, & Cohen, 1967). A primary premise of its function is that its colouration would play a role in visual communication (Pinto, Wiederhecker, & Colli, 2005), although it was also suggested that coloured patches could be just a consequence of chemical secretions produced by glandular scales (Carvalho et al, 2016; Harvey & Gutberlet, 1998; Kuns & Borges‐Martins, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

et al. 2020

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Signals that are used in animal communication may have multiple sensorial channels and functions. Animal communication integrates very distinct mechanisms such as behaviour, morphology and physiological secretions. Chemical signals occur in several contexts and are known to have a role in sexual selection. In many lizards, pheromones secreted through femoral pores are used to attract females and demark territory dominance. In lizard species without femoral pores, however, study of chemical signalling is negligible. Lizards of the genus Tropidurus have no ventral pores, but express melanic patches in their ventral thighs and cloacae (body regions linked to chemical communication in other lizards), which may play a role in both visual signalling and chemical signalling. Here, we describe the occurrence of pelvic rubbing—a chemical signalling behaviour—in two Tropidurus species, displayed in intraspecific agonistic intrasexual staged encounters. In addition, we compile a list of currently reported species that display this behaviour, checking for its social contexts and presence/absence of secretion pores. We analysed behaviours in conspecific trials between males of Tropidurus semitaeniatus and of T. hispidus during their breeding season. In T. semitaeniatus, displays of pelvic rubbing elicited aggressive responses from the opponents. Tropidurus hispidus, however, did not react to these conspecific displays. Pelvic rubbings were also partially linked to defecation in both species, which is likely due to secretions from internal urodeal glands expelled during defecation. Also, high rates of tongue flick behaviours during the encounters support the hypothesis that these lizards make use of chemical communication. Our observations corroborate previous suggestions that glandular scales—scales covered by generation glands produced at the epidermis across the lizards’ shedding cycles—are present in their melanic ventral patches. Our work also highlights the potential of characterizing such ventral patches as multimodal signalling badges. Further, we investigated the contexts in which pelvic rubbing is displayed adding to our understanding of the role played by chemical signalling in lizards without femoral pores.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

et al. 2020

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“…Interestingly, although the most dominant morph colour varies, yellow morphs tend to be least dominant across species (e.g. Bruinjé et al ., 2019 a ; Healey et al ., 2007; Sinervo & Lively, 1996; Taylor & Lattanzio, 2016; but see Abalos et al ., 2016; Yewers et al ., 2016). Where these hierarchies are present, less‐dominant morphs can gain reproductive success through pre‐ or post‐copulatory reproductive tactics that do not depend upon contest success.…”

Section: Correlated Behavioural Physiological and Life‐history Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Convergence and divergence in lizard colour polymorphisms

et al. 2020

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Colour polymorphic species are model systems for examining the evolutionary processes that generate and maintain discrete phenotypic variation in natural populations. Lizards have repeatedly evolved strikingly similar polymorphic sexual signals in distantly related lineages, providing an opportunity to examine convergence and divergence in colour polymorphism, correlated traits and associated evolutionary processes. Herein, we synthesise the extensive literature on lizard colour polymorphisms in both sexes, including recent advances in understanding of the underlying biochemical, cellular and genetic mechanisms, and correlated behavioural, physiological and life‐history traits. Male throat, head or ventral colour morphs generally consist of red/orange, yellow and white/blue morphs, and sometimes mixed morphs with combinations of two colours. Despite these convergent phenotypes, there is marked divergence in correlated behavioural, physiological and life‐history traits. We discuss the need for coherence in morph classification, particularly in relation to ‘mixed’ morphs. We highlight future research directions such as the genetic basis of convergent phenotypes and the role of environmental variation in the maintenance of polymorphism. Research in this very active field promises to continue to provide novel insights with broad significance to evolutionary biologists.

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“…The evolution of conspicuous coloration has been the focus of many studies, particularly in birds. Many of these studies demonstrate how indicator models of sexual selection, and in particular female choice, have driven the evolution of colorful plumage in males because of the relationship between color and individual color components (intensity, hue, and chroma) and measures of individual male quality (e.g., Class et al 2019;Bruinjé et al 2019;Lui et al 2018). Little emphasis has been placed on studies that show a lack of female preferences based on intraspecific color signals, despite their condition dependence.…”

Section: Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of claw color in species recognition and mate choice in a fiddler crab

Dyson

Perez

Curran

et al. 2020

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Many animal signals are brightly colored and convey information about species identity as well as information about individual conspecifics. Colorful bird and lizard signals have received much attention, and many studies have related specific spectral properties of these signals to variation in mating success and territory defense. Far less attention has been given to invertebrates even though there are spectacularly colorful species. The enlarged claw of the male banana fiddler crab Austruca mjoebergi, for example, is bright yellow and contrasts vividly against the mudflat substrate. It is used in waving displays to attract females and in male territory defense and combat. Claw color varies among males in the degree of “yellowness,” ranging very pale yellow to orange. In this study, we examined female responses to claw color variation in two-choice tests using robotic crabs. We found that although females strongly discriminate against colors that fall outside the natural range of intensity, hue, and chroma, they show no consistent preferences for different claw colors within the natural range, and no single component of claw color (hue, chroma, or intensity) independently affected female choices. Using three-choice tests, we also showed that female preferences induce stabilizing selection on male claw color. We conclude that, although claw color is sufficient to facilitate species recognition, it is unlikely to be used in intraspecific mate choice to provide information about male quality. Significance statement Fiddler crabs are often brightly colored, are visually orientated animals, and have a highly complex social system. Despite this, there are few studies that have looked at the role of color in species recognition and mate choice in these animals. In this study, we use robotic crabs with painted claws to determine the role of claw color in species recognition and mate choice in the banana fiddler crab, Austruca mjoebergi. We found that color is important in conspecific mate recognition but the variation among males in claw “yellowness” is unlikely to be used by females in intraspecific mate choice decisions.

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Aggression, color signaling, and performance of the male color morphs of a Brazilian lizard (Tropidurus semitaeniatus)

Cited by 24 publications

References 70 publications

Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

Convergence and divergence in lizard colour polymorphisms

The role of claw color in species recognition and mate choice in a fiddler crab

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