Ethogram With the Description of a New Behavioral Display for the Striped Lava Lizard, Tropidurus semitaeniatus

Coelho, Felipe Eduardo Alves; Bruinjé, Andre C.; Costa, Gabriel C.

doi:10.2994/sajh-d-17-00101.1

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…To analyse lizard behaviours displayed during the 30 min trials, 120 fps video recordings were made. We analysed each video twice, once for each individual as focal male (for more details on lizard handling, housing and experimental methodology see Coelho, Bruinjé, & Costa, 2018). We collected and handled lizards under authorization of Chico Mendes Institute of Conservation and Biodiversity (ICMBio, SISBIO #23164-1).…”

Section: Me Thodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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: Me Thodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

et al. 2020

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“…This behaviour has also been described in the skinks C. viridanus and Lampropholis guichenoti (Torr & Shine, 1994;Sánchez-Hernández et al, 2012). Unlike several lizard species that commonly perform head bobs and tongue flicks during male-male combat and courtship (Langkilde et al, 2003;Coelho et al, 2018;Bruinjé et al, 2019), a male Noronha skink performs these behaviours most of the time that a female is in its territory. Slow-motion behaviour also occurs in the skink Carlia jarnoldae, mainly during courtship (Langkilde et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Agonistic and mating behaviour of the endemic lizard Trachylepis atlantica from the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil

Gasparotto¹

2021

Herpetological Bulletin

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The skink Trachylepis atlantica is endemic to the Fernando de Noronha archipelago. Although this species is abundant in the archipelago, it is increasingly threatened by invasive species, predation, and anthropic interference. However, little is known about its natural history. Here we report on territory use, male-male combat, and mating behaviour of freeranging T. atlantica. During the dry season, we observed two bouts of male combat and two copulations, which suggests some mating seasonality. In male combat, T. atlantica displays ritualised agonistic behaviour with escalated aggressiveness that include - i) visualisation, approaching or following, ii) visual display, iii) bite and body confrontation, and iv) dominance. Adult males were always alert to invaders within their territories. After combat, resident males showed scars on their heads resulting from agonistic encounters. During the two copulations, we observed courtship, immobilisation, and mating.

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“…The latter is visually exposed during displays such as push-ups and headbobs , and its color diversity may be associated with residual coloration from the breeding season 58 . On the other hand, on the dorsal region the diversity of colors may be important in agonistic behaviours, as was found in Tropidurus semitaeniatus which also exhibits complex dorsal color patterns that may convey individual quality information 59 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…semitaeniatus cloacal pigmentation correlates with sperm production in males 81 Tail whipping: Shown by females during courtship 65 and sometimes in male-male interactions (NR, unpublished data)16DorsumIn some species, male dorsal coloration may provide social status signals 32,82 . Tropidurus semitaeniatus performs a dorsum display during combat 59 No displays in T . spinulosus were observed for this region.42FlanksTogether with the ventral region, this is one of the most important parts in lizard sexual and social communication 10,30,52 Circulation display: Shown by male during male ritual combat ( 50 ; NR, unpublished data).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual dichromatism and color diversity in the spiny lava lizard Tropidurus spinulosus using lizard visual modelling

Rossi

Benitez‐Vieyra

Cocucci

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Colors are important vehicles for social signals in many taxa. In Squamata, previous studies have linked color characteristics and chromatic diversity to sexual selection and, particularly, species showing male-biased body size dimorphism also showed male-biased dichromatism and color diversity. Sexual dichromatism may occur in body regions used for conspecific communication and it may be expressed at wavelengths, such as ultraviolet, easily perceivable by conspecifics. We tested this prediction in a social lizard model, Tropidurus spinulosus, using spectrophotometry and visual modelling which enable colors to be interpreted as the individuals of the same taxon see them. Our results indicate that sexual dichromatism occurs in the ventral regions and the flanks, which are the body regions involved in sexual displays. Males show greater color diversity, having larger color volumes and more contrasting colors. These findings reinforce the idea that sexual selection towards males is coupled with the evolution of male-biased, diverse, coloration which could act as a signal in social reproductive contexts.

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Ethogram With the Description of a New Behavioral Display for the Striped Lava Lizard, Tropidurus semitaeniatus

Cited by 14 publications

References 34 publications

Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

Chemical signalling behaviour in intrasexual communication of lizards lacking femoral pores

Agonistic and mating behaviour of the endemic lizard Trachylepis atlantica from the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Brazil

Sexual dichromatism and color diversity in the spiny lava lizard Tropidurus spinulosus using lizard visual modelling

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