Maternal care and secretive behaviour of neonates in the highly social lizard Liolaemus leopardinus (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from the central Chilean Andes may relate to size-specific bird predation

Santoyo-Brito, Enrique; Perea-Fox, Susana; Núñez, Herman; Fox, Stanley F.

doi:10.1163/1568539x-bja10065

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Colonization of novel habitats, where predators are scarce and/or there is high food availability, is associated with larger sizes across squamates 73 . Cool habitats at high latitude and/or elevation are characterized by lower predatory risk for lizards 74 – 76 . In those cold environments, reptiles have a lower extrinsic mortality (predation) and greater longevity than species from warm habitats 77 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in the body size of female Liolaemus lizards

Domínguez-Guerrero,

Esquerré,

Burress

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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Viviparity evolved ~115 times across squamate reptiles, facilitating the colonization of cold habitats, where oviparous species are scarce or absent. Whether the ecological opportunity furnished by such colonization reconfigures phenotypic diversity and accelerates evolution is unclear. We investigated the association between viviparity and patterns and rates of body size evolution in female Liolaemus lizards, the most species-rich tetrapod genus from temperate regions. Here, we discover that viviparous species evolve ~20% larger optimal body sizes than their oviparous relatives, but exhibit similar rates of body size evolution. Through a causal modeling approach, we find that viviparity indirectly influences body size evolution through shifts in thermal environment. Accordingly, the colonization of cold habitats favors larger body sizes in viviparous species, reconfiguring body size diversity in Liolaemus. The catalyzing influence of viviparity on phenotypic evolution arises because it unlocks access to otherwise inaccessible sources of ecological opportunity, an outcome potentially repeated across the tree of life.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in the body size of female Liolaemus lizards

Domínguez-Guerrero,

Esquerré,

Burress

et al. 2024

Nat Commun

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“…Movement rates were calculated as metres moved per hour between successive fixes for each individual. Distances between locations were calculated using the Haversine formula (Santoyo‐Brito et al., 2021).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting microhabitat use in two agamid species from south‐eastern Australia

Westaway,

Jolly,

Michael

et al. 2024

Austral Ecology

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Despite being a central aspect of a species' ecology and having important conservation implications, the use of fine‐scale habitat features (microhabitats), and how they vary over time, are poorly known for most species. In this study, we leveraged 522 relocations of radio‐tracked mallee tree dragons (Amphibolurus norrisi) and painted dragons (Ctenophorus pictus) to investigate the effect of environmental and individual variables on microhabitat use. Mallee tree dragons were more likely to use trees on hot days and in the middle of the day (the hottest time of day), whereas shrub use was more likely on cool days and in the mornings. Painted dragons were more likely to use shrubs and grass trees on warmer days and during the middle of the day, whereas burrows were used during cooler days and in the mornings and afternoons. We expect these patterns represent animals moving from refuge resources, occupied during unsuitable thermal conditions, to microhabitats offering basking, foraging and social opportunities during periods of thermal optimum. Additionally, we found evidence of an ontogenetic shift, with larger mallee tree dragons favouring tree use and higher perches, suggesting a transition from shrub to tree use with age. Our findings underscore the need for diverse microhabitats to accommodate the thermoregulatory and ontogenetic requirements of lizards. These insights can inform conservation and habitat restoration efforts, ensuring the provision of essential microhabitats to support species persistence.

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“…The ability to maintain their field body temperature within their preferred range maximizes the locomotor performance of rock-dwelling individuals (L. sarmientoi) and likely determines their higher populational densities (compared with L. magellanicus) 74,75 . We hypothesize that once viviparous species colonize cold habitats by capitalizing on rocks to thermoregulate population densities then increase (a product of reduced predation and interspecific competition 76 ) driving high interspecific competition 77 , and this in turn promotes partitioning of rocky habitats and fast body size diversification. Sympatric species of Liolaemus usually differ in body size and the kind of rocks where they perch or retreat 78,79 .…”

Section: Geological History Of the Andes Driving Body Size Evolution ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in Liolaemus lizards

Domínguez-Guerrero,

Esqu,

Burress

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Viviparity has evolved ~120 times across squamate reptiles, and has facilitated the colonization of cold habitats, where oviparous species are scarce or absent. In turn, the ecological opportunity furnished by such colonization is predicted to accelerate phenotypic diversification and reconfigure phenotypic diversity. Yet, whether independent transitions to viviparity are associated with predictable shifts in the tempo and mode of phenotypic evolution remains unclear. Here, we investigated the association between live birth and rates and patterns of body size evolution in Liolaemus lizards, the most species-rich tetrapod genus from temperate regions. We find that viviparous species exhibit two-fold faster rates of body size evolution and ~20% larger optimal body sizes than their oviparous relatives. By exploring the association between live birth and different abiotic and biotic features through a causal modeling approach, we find that viviparity indirectly influences body size evolution in Liolaemus through shifts in thermal environment and structural microhabitat use. The catalyzing influence of viviparity on phenotypic evolution arises because it potentiates access to otherwise inaccessible sources of ecological opportunity. Accordingly, niche partitioning and release from antagonists in novel habitats likely favors rapid body size evolution and larger sizes in viviparous species, an outcome potentially repeated across the tree of life.

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Maternal care and secretive behaviour of neonates in the highly social lizard Liolaemus leopardinus (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from the central Chilean Andes may relate to size-specific bird predation

Cited by 5 publications

References 76 publications

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in the body size of female Liolaemus lizards

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in the body size of female Liolaemus lizards

Factors affecting microhabitat use in two agamid species from south‐eastern Australia

Viviparity imparts a macroevolutionary signature of ecological opportunity in Liolaemus lizards

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