Macroevolutionary diversification of glands for chemical communication in squamate reptiles

García‐Roa, Roberto; Jara, Manuel López; Baeckens, Simon; López, Pílar; Damme, Raoul Van; Martı́n, José; Pincheira‐Donoso, Daniel

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-09083-7

Cited by 32 publications

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“…Within vertebrates, lizards seem to be a promising clade to study the evolution of chemical signalling (e.g. Baeckens, Van Damme, Cooper, ; García‐Roa, Jara, Baeckens, et al., ; García‐Roa, Jara, López, Martín, & Pincheira‐Donoso, ; Mangiacotti et al., ; Martín & López, ; Mason & Parker, ; Pruett et al., ). Males of most lizard species are equipped with a series of epidermal glands located in the dermis of the inner thighs, which secrete waxy substances through pore‐bearing scales (Figure ), or ‘epidermal (femoral) pores’ (Mayerl, Baeckens, & Van Damme, ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Environmental conditions shape the chemical signal design of lizards

et al. 2017

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The signals that animals use to communicate often differ considerably among species. Part of this variation in signal design may derive from differential natural selection on signal efficacy; the ability of the signal to travel efficiently through the environment and attract the receiver's attention. For the visual and acoustic modalities, the effect of the physical environment on signal efficacy is a well‐studied selective force. Still, very little is known on its impact on chemical signals. Here, we took a broad, phylogenetic comparative approach to test for a relationship between animals' signal chemistry and properties of their natural environment. Our study focused on lizards from the Lacertidae family. We sampled 64 species across three continents and determined the lipophilic composition of their glandular signalling secretions using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. For each species, an array of environmental variables of high temporal and spatial resolution was obtained from climate databases. Species varied considerably in the overall richness (number of constituents) of their secretions, as well as in the relative contribution of the major chemical compound classes. Signal richness and the relative contribution of the respective compounds exhibited little evidence of phylogenetic relatedness, suggesting that chemical signals may change very rapidly. Neither insularity nor substrate use affected chemical signal composition, however, we found a strong statistical relationship between the chemistry of the lizards' secretions and aspects of the thermal and hydric environment they inhabit. Species from ‘xeric’ milieus contained high proportions of stable fatty acid esters and high molecular weight alcohols in their glandular secretions, which likely increase the persistence of secretion scent‐marks. In contrast, species inhabiting ‘mesic’ environments produced secretions of a high chemical richness comprising high levels of aldehydes and low molecular weight alcohols. This chemical mix probably creates a volatile‐rich signal that can be used for long‐distance airborne communication. We argue that the observed variation in signal design results from differential natural selection, optimizing signal efficacy under contrasting environmental conditions. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12984/suppinfo is available for this article.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental conditions shape the chemical signal design of lizards

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“…Lizards release chemical signals through feces, skin and specialized follicular glands ( Mason, 1992 ; Weldon, Flachsbarth & Schulz, 2008 ; Mayerl, Baeckens & Van Damme, 2015 ; García-Roa et al, 2017a ). Specifically, the lipophilic fraction of the chemical secretions produced by the femoral and precloacal follicular glands might play a key role in lizard recognition, hierarchy establishment, or mate choice ( Cooper Jr & Steele, 1997 ; Martín & López, 2006 ; Carazo, Font & Desfilis, 2008 ; Font et al, 2012 ; Pruett et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interpopulational and seasonal variation in the chemical signals of the lizardGallotia galloti

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et al. 2017

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Communicative traits are strikingly diverse and may vary among populations of the same species. Within a population, these traits may also display seasonal variation. Chemical signals play a key role in the communication of many taxa. However, we still know far too little about chemical communication in some vertebrate groups. In lizards, only a few studies have examined interpopulational variation in the composition of chemical cues and signals and only one study has explored the seasonal effects. Here we sampled three subspecies of the Tenerife lizards (Gallotia galloti) and analyze the lipophilic fraction of their femoral gland secretions to characterize the potential interpopulational variation in the chemical signals. In addition, we assessed whether composition of these secretions differed between the reproductive and the non-reproductive season. We analyzed variations in both the overall chemical profile and the abundance of the two main compounds (cholesterol and vitamin E). Our results show interpopulational and seasonal differences in G. gallotia chemical profiles. These findings are in accordance with the high interpopulational variability of compounds observed in lizard chemical signals and show that their composition is not only shaped by selective factors linked to reproductive season.

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“…The main sources of semiochemicals in lizards are femoral or pre-anal gland secretions and feces (Bull, Griffin, & Johnston, 1999a;Bull, Griffin, & Perkins, 1999b;García-Roa et al, 2017;Labra, Escobar, Aguilar, & Niemeyer, 2002). Femoral and pre-anal glands are follicular skin glands present in a row on the ventral surface of the hind-limbs and/or the pre-anal region and open to the exterior through pores (Alberts, 1989(Alberts, , 1993López & Martín, 2005).…”

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confidence: 99%

Chemosensory discrimination of male age by female Psammodromus algirus lizards based on femoral secretions and feces

et al. 2019

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Chemical communication plays an essential role in several social and reproductive behaviors of many animals. In lizards, the main sources of semiochemicals are femoral or pre‐anal gland secretions and feces. In male lizards Psammodromus algirus, there are age‐related differences in the chemical composition of femoral gland secretions and in the reproductive strategies, with older males defending territories and females, while younger males adopting sneak‐mating strategies. Females flee more often from mating advances of young males than from those of old males, which are more successful in obtaining matings. This suggests that age discrimination of males may be important for females. We tested here whether females showed differential chemosensory responses to chemical cues (femoral gland secretion and feces) of males of two age classes, and whether females use information from substrate scent marks of males of different ages to select where to stay. We found that females elicited more tongue‐flicks to the secretion and feces of old males than to control or secretion and feces of young males. Also, the time spent by females on a scented paper depended on the treatment, suggesting that females tended to spend more time on scent marks made with femoral secretions of old males. Adult females seemed capable to discriminate between young and old males based on chemical cues alone and showed more interest in scents of old males. However, substrate scent marks did not seem to entirely determine site selection by females, suggesting that females might need additional cues to perform the choice. These results can be explained by the different age‐dependent reproductive strategies of males, which can affect differentially to females.

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Macroevolutionary diversification of glands for chemical communication in squamate reptiles

Cited by 32 publications

References 56 publications

Environmental conditions shape the chemical signal design of lizards

Environmental conditions shape the chemical signal design of lizards

Interpopulational and seasonal variation in the chemical signals of the lizardGallotia galloti

Chemosensory discrimination of male age by female Psammodromus algirus lizards based on femoral secretions and feces

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