Importance of Dewlap Display in Male Mating Success in Free-Ranging Brown Anoles (Anolis sagrei)

Tokarz, Richard R.; Paterson, Ann V.; McMann, Stephen

doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2005)039[0174:ioddim]2.0.co;2

Cited by 23 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…], [ 4], [ 13]–[15], [ 24]–[25], [ 50], [ 53]–[55], yet several recent studies have failed to show that experimental disabling of the dewlap has any effect on territory ownership or mating rate, at least in one species, A. sagrei [56]–[58]. These results are surprising, although they involve only one species and have been of short duration with relatively small sample sizes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of Anolis Lizard Dewlap Diversity

2007

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BackgroundThe dewlaps of Anolis lizards provide a classic example of a complex signaling system whose function and evolution is poorly understood. Dewlaps are flaps of skin beneath the chin that are extended and combined with head and body movements for visual signals and displays. They exhibit extensive morphological variation and are one of two cladistic features uniting anoles, yet little is known regarding their function and evolution. We quantified the diversity of anole dewlaps, investigated whether dewlap morphology was informative regarding phylogenetic relationships, and tested two separate hypotheses: (A) similar Anolis habitat specialists possess similar dewlap configurations (Ecomorph Convergence hypothesis), and (B) sympatric species differ in their dewlap morphologies to a greater extent than expected by chance (Species Recognition hypothesis).Methodology/Principal FindingsWe found that dewlap configurations (sizes, patterns and colors) exhibit substantial diversity, but that most are easily categorized into six patterns that incorporate one to three of 13 recognizable colors. Dewlap morphology is not phylogenetically informative and, like other features of anoles, exhibits convergence in configurations. We found no support for the Ecomorph Convergence hypothesis; species using the same structural habitat were no more similar in dewlap configuration than expected by chance. With one exception, all sympatric species in four communities differ in dewlap configuration. However, this provides only weak support for the Species Recognition hypothesis because, due to the great diversity in dewlap configurations observed across each island, few cases of sympatric species with identical dewlaps would be expected to co-occur by chance alone.Conclusions/SignificanceDespite previous thought, most dewlaps exhibit easily characterizable patterns and colorations. Nevertheless, dewlap variation is extensive and explanations for the origin and evolution of this diversity are lacking. Our data do not support two hypothesized explanations for this diversity, but others such as sexual selection remain to be tested.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of Anolis Lizard Dewlap Diversity

2007

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“…Even recently Lailvaux & Irschick (2006a) found no evidence that female Anolis carolinensis associated with high‐performance male anoles based on head size, bite force, dewlap size, and jumping performance. Similarly, Tokarz, Paterson & McMann (2005) found that male dewlap signalling did not affect male mating success in A. sagrei , suggesting that dewlaps play little role in intersexual selection. However, female Urosaurus ornatus use multiple cues to assess males, including traits associated with performance (Hamilton & Sullivan 2005).…”

Section: Selection On Male Display Traits Due To Female Choicementioning

confidence: 95%

Courtship displays in anurans and lizards: theoretical and empirical contributions to our understanding of costs and selection on males due to female choice

Sullivan

Kwiatkowski

2007

Functional Ecology

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Summary 1.Male frogs and toads expend considerable energy and experience potential predation risk while calling in breeding aggregations; similarly, male lizards display behaviourally and exhibit striking colour patterns during courtship interactions. These apparently costly displays of male anuran amphibians and squamate reptiles have been argued to play an important role in mate selection by females. Although female preferences for male display traits under controlled conditions have been documented for both taxonomic groups, directional selection on male displays has rarely been adequately assessed under natural conditions. 2. We discuss theoretical and empirical considerations of display costs in the context of sexual selection due to female preferences in anurans and lizards. We review experimental evidence of female preferences for apparently costly displays by males and estimation of selection on male traits due to female choice in the field in these taxonomic groups. 3. Evidence of female preferences for apparently costly display traits is not uncommon for thoroughly studied populations, and there is some field evidence of significant selection on these traits in at least one well studied group: prolonged breeding toads. Studies have been hampered by confusion over the definitions of costs, difficulty in adequately describing variation in male displays, and overly simplistic approaches to documentation of female preferences. 4. Future work should include recognition of variation in definitions of cost in relation to male display behaviour, acknowledgement that female choice may be based on multiple male characteristics, and that considerable effort, including documentation of consistency in male behaviour, is required before inferences regarding the importance of female choice in sexual selection can be drawn.

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“…Most anoles possess colorful dewlaps (throat fans) primarily extended during courtship and territory defense (Jenssen 1977). The dewlap is a signal of male fighting ability (Vanhooydonck et al 2005), and its behavioral use is thought to influence mating success (Tokarz et al 2005). However, the communication role of dewlap color is not clear (Nicholson et al 2007) and it is unknown whether signal color and display behavior interact to indicate advertiser condition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Colorful displays signal male quality in a tropical anole lizard

Cook

Murphy

Johnson

2013

Naturwissenschaften

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Parasites influence colorful ornaments and their behavioral display in many animal hosts. Because coloration and display behavior are often critical components of communication, variation in these traits may have important implications for individual fitness, yet it remains unclear whether such traits are signals of quality in many taxa. We investigated the association between ectoparasitic mite load and the color and behavioral use of the throat fan (dewlap) by male Anolis brevirostris lizards. We found that heavily parasitized lizards exhibited lower body condition, duller dewlaps, and less frequent dewlap displays than less parasitized individuals. Our results thus suggest that highly parasitized individuals invest less in both ornamental color and behavioral display of that color. Because the two components of the signal simultaneously provide information on male quality, this study provides novel support for the long-standing hypothesis that colorful traits may function as social or sexual signals in reptiles.

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Importance of Dewlap Display in Male Mating Success in Free-Ranging Brown Anoles (Anolis sagrei)

Cited by 23 publications

References 17 publications

Evolution of Anolis Lizard Dewlap Diversity

Evolution of Anolis Lizard Dewlap Diversity

Courtship displays in anurans and lizards: theoretical and empirical contributions to our understanding of costs and selection on males due to female choice

Colorful displays signal male quality in a tropical anole lizard

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