Trophic niche divergence among colour morphs that exhibit alternative mating tactics

Lattanzio, Matthew S.; Miles, Donald B.

doi:10.1098/rsos.150531

Cited by 36 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In addition, this consideration may also help explain why yellow males visited females more often than blue male morphs. Blue morph males, unlike yellow males, are socially dominant, defend high‐quality territories, and are aggressive toward other lizards (Lattanzio & Miles, ; Thompson & Moore, ). Our current study reveals that blue males also prefer a single (yellow) female morph, unlike yellow males.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, long‐term occurrence data for both orange males and white females reveal a lack of the negative frequency dependence predicted to underlie the maintenance of color polymorphism in other species (e.g., Uta stansburiana , see Sinervo & Lively, ). Since 2010, annual frequencies of these two morphs have never exceeded six individuals per morph (i.e., <15% relative frequencies, M. S. Lattanzio, unpublished data), even among habitats contrasting in vegetation heterogeneity due to differences in prescribed fire history (Lattanzio & Miles ; Lattanzio & Miles ). These data suggest that in terms of U. ornatus ’ overall mating dynamics (male and female preferences combined), neither orange male nor white female morphs are preferred when rare (or when common for that matter).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Male mate choice and the potential for complex mating dynamics in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A growing body of literature is recognizing that males may also play a role in the mating process by behaving non‐randomly toward potential female mates during courtship. In numerous species, discrete color polymorphisms in males are inferred to represent alternative mating tactics, which often correspond with concomitant asymmetries in ecology and behavior. In terms of their mating behavior, these ecological outcomes of a color polymorphism should affect a morph's likelihood and frequency of encountering females in a population, possibly favoring the evolution of morph‐specific mating preferences. Knowledge of how male morphs contribute to a species’ overall mating dynamics will improve our understanding of how sexual selection shapes phenotypic diversity in color polymorphic systems. We conducted a mate choice experiment to evaluate the extent and morph specificity of non‐random mating preferences by male ornate tree lizards, Urosaurus ornatus. We observed the behavior of blue and yellow males in an experimental arena in response to a choice between an orange or yellow female. We found that blue males preferred yellow females over orange females, and although yellow males visited females more often than blue males overall, their attention was not morph‐specific. Given male morph differences in choosiness, and their differences in social dominance, we conclude that female throat color may be partly under sexual selection in U. ornatus. However, a lack of concordance between male and female mating preferences (drawn from an earlier study) suggests that overall mating dynamics may serve to maintain, rather than enhance, color morph differences in this species.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male mate choice and the potential for complex mating dynamics in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In many territorial species, individual variation in dominance shapes the outcome of social interactions (Carpenter ; Pryke & Griffith ; Dijkstra et al. ,b) and may also act as a driver of ecological diversification (Lattanzio & Miles ). However, variation in other behaviors should also contribute to that process and, in certain contexts, may override the expected ecological products of social dominance asymmetries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; Garland et al. ; Pryke & Griffith ; Lattanzio & Miles ). For example, in lizards, aggressive displays include head bobs and push‐ups that show off the throat in an attempt to intimidate the rival male.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…). Data from a 2012 field study indicate that in a more open (canopy and ground cover), frequently burned grassland region, yellow males were more abundant and able to sustain access to higher quality ecological resources like trees and higher trophic level prey (Lattanzio & Miles , ). Habitats with more open canopy and therefore more exposure should be associated with a higher risk of predation to small‐bodied lizards like U. ornatus .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Boldness, Dominance, and Territoriality in the Color Polymorphic Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

Taylor

Lattanzio

2016

Ethology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Social dynamics in territorial species often reflect underlying variation in aggression and other aspects of social dominance among individuals. In ornate tree lizards (Urosaurus ornatus), males differing in dewlap color differ in social dominance: while blue males are the dominant, aggressive morph and always territorial, yellow males tend to exhibit a less‐aggressive satellite behavioral tactic. However, in habitats with fewer available territorial resources, yellow males defend territories and increase in relative abundance. These observations suggest that consideration of social dominance alone may be insufficient to explain U. ornatus' territorial dynamics in the wild. Here, we tested how both dominance and another important behavioral trait, boldness, contribute to the outcome of territorial disputes in tree lizards. We recorded the territorial behavior of blue and yellow male tree lizards (entered in pairs) in an experimental arena. At the end of each trial, we then approached each male and recorded whether it fled (shy) or not (bold) in response to our approach. As expected, dominant blue males exploited the higher quality perch more often than yellow males. However, when approached by a simulated predator, blue males were more likely to flee than yellow males. Thus, while blue males are more dominant, yellow is likely the bolder morph. As a result, this morph may be better equipped to defend territories in riskier environments. We conclude that although dominance asymmetries may predictably drive initial territorial interactions among competing males, variation in other behaviors (like boldness) may perturb the long‐term outcome of these interactions across variable environments.

show abstract

Territorial status is explained by covariation between boldness, exploration, and thermal preference in a colour polymorphic lizard

Goerge,

Miles

2024

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Colour polymorphic species often exhibit variation in morphology, physiology, and behaviour among morphs. In particular, dominance status may be signalled by the interaction between behaviour and colour morph. Behavioural traits associated with dominance include boldness, exploration, and aggression, which influence access to preferred habitat, territorial defence, and mate acquisition. In ectotherms, the social structure associated with morphs may result in the exploitation of structural niches differing in thermal quality. Hence, social interactions among morphs may generate concordant variation in thermal preference and environmental temperature. However, few studies have assessed thermal preference variation in colour polymorphic species and its covariation with behaviour. Doing so can provide insight into niche specialization and the maintenance of colour polymorphism in populations. Here, we investigated the patterns of covariation in boldness behaviour, exploratory behaviour, and thermal preference in the tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus. We assessed trait variation between territorial and non‐territorial male morphs and between orange and yellow female morphs. Boldness and exploratory behaviour were repeatable in male U. ornatus and bolder individuals were significantly more likely to incur tail loss, a potential consequence of bold behaviour. Territorial male morphs were significantly bolder and more exploratory and preferred higher body temperatures with a narrower T set than non‐territorial morphs. Female morphs did not vary in behavioural or thermal traits. This study highlights behavioural mechanisms that underly ecological niche segregation and variable habitat use between morphs in a colour polymorphic species.

show abstract

Trophic niche divergence among colour morphs that exhibit alternative mating tactics

Cited by 36 publications

References 53 publications

Male mate choice and the potential for complex mating dynamics in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

Male mate choice and the potential for complex mating dynamics in the tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)

Boldness, Dominance, and Territoriality in the Color Polymorphic Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

Territorial status is explained by covariation between boldness, exploration, and thermal preference in a colour polymorphic lizard

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About