Paint Marking Lizards: Does the Color Affect Survivorship?

Simon, Carol A.; Bissinger, Barbara E.

doi:10.2307/1563463

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Lizards were captured (by noose or by hand), weighed (to the nearest 0.1 g), measured (SVL and tail, to the nearest mm), uniquely toe clipped for permanent recognition, paint marked for temporary discrimination in the field, and were then released where originally found. Paint marking and toe clipping do not appear to affect mortality in sceloporine lizards (Jones and Ferguson 1980, Simon and Bissinger 1983, Dunham et al 1988. Study areas were searched daily until census data suggested that Ն95% of the resident lizards had been captured-an effective method for nearly com-plete enumeration of conspicuous, diurnal lizards (Turner 1977, Schoener and Schoener 1978, 1982, Dunham et al 1988.…”

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal Variation in Rates of Overwinter Mortality in the Lizard Uta Stansburiana

Wilson

Cooke

2004

Ecology

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The relatively shorter growing seasons, lower temperatures, and severe winter weather associated with higher latitudes have long been assumed to limit the size of populations, and therefore to constrain the geographical ranges of species. In particular, conspicuous instances of catastrophic mortality during periods of severe winter weather suggest that losses to ''winterkill'' may often determine latitudinal range limits. However, actual comparisons of overwinter mortality among latitudinally separated populations have been exceedingly rare, and no such study has focused on temperate-zone lizards, one of the groups thought to experience greater overwinter mortality at higher latitudes.Here we examine latitudinal variation in overwinter mortality among seven populations of the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) along a transect spanning nearly 15Њ of latitude in the western United States. We used standard mark-recapture techniques to estimate daily mortality rates for the fall through spring (overwinter) period for three consecutive years. Using these data, we directly test the hypothesis that rates of overwinter mortality increase with increasing latitude.Surprisingly, daily mortality rates during the overwinter period appear to be lowernot higher-at higher latitudes. And, in spite of longer winters in the north, even total seasonal losses to winterkill appear, if anything, to be lower at higher latitudes. Mortality rates during the overwinter period were consistently lower than during the activity season, and this pattern was especially pronounced at cold northern sites. These observations indicate that winterkill may not be an important determinant of annual mortality for these populations, and they support the view that predator-mediated mortality during the activity season is the primary source of population loss. Because Uta are inactive during cold winter weather, and because their primary predators are either similarly inactive (e.g., other lizards and snakes) or may have migrated south (e.g., birds), predator-prey encounter rates are lower during higher latitude winters.

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Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal Variation in Rates of Overwinter Mortality in the Lizard Uta Stansburiana

Wilson

Cooke

2004

Ecology

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“…Lizards were uniquely marked with a felt tip marker on the head and stomach (Jones & Ferguson, 1980; Simon & Bissinger, 1983). The sex of each lizard (185 males and 325 females) was determined based on the presence (males) or absence (females) of enlarged post‐anal scales, body size (Cox, 2006; Gilbert & Lattanzio, 2016) and colouration.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in thermal quality of the environment along an elevational gradient affect investment in thermoregulation by Yarrow’s spiny lizards

Lymburner

Blouin‐Demers

2020

Journal of Zoology

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Body temperature affects physiological processes and, consequently, is assumed to have a large impact on fitness. Lizards need to thermoregulate behaviourally to maintain their body temperature within a range that maximizes performance, but there are costs associated with thermoregulation. The thermal quality of an environment directly affects the amount of time and energy that must be invested by an individual to maintain an optimal body temperature for performance; time and energy are major costs of thermoregulation. According to Huey and Slatkin's (Q. Rev. Biol. 1976, 363) cost-benefit model of thermoregulation, lizards should only thermoregulate when the benefits outweigh the costs. Thus, in habitats of poor thermal quality, lizards should invest less into thermoregulation. We tested the hypothesis that the thermal quality of an environment dictates investment in thermoregulation across an elevational gradient. Increases in elevation are accompanied by decreases in temperature and therefore thermal quality. We recorded body temperatures of Yarrow's spiny lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii) at ten talus slopes along an elevational gradient of over 1000 m. We found a significant positive relationship between elevation and effectiveness of thermoregulation, opposite to the prediction of the cost-benefit model of thermoregulation. This suggests that the disadvantages of thermoconformity may be greater than the costs of thermoregulating as habitats become more thermally challenging.

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“…These marks were only approx. 5 mm in diameter to avoid influencing the behaviour of lizards (see also Simon & Bissinger 1981).…”

Section: Study Site and General Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Ontogeny of Spatio‐Temporal Tactics and Social Relationships of Adult Male Iberian Rock Lizards, Lacerta monticola

2004

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Behavioural aspects of many species may change through their ontogenetic trajectory. Mature males of the lizard Lacerta monticola present two types of colour phase, with bright green males being older, larger and more dominant than dull brown males. We hypothesized those ontogenetic differences in malesÕ competitive ability may lead to differences in spatio-temporal tactics. In a field study, we did not find differences in the size of the home ranges or core areas of green and brown males. However, after controlling for size, green males had more exclusive areas than brown males. Green males also had higher levels of conspicuous activities than brown males. Green and brown males had different spatio-temporal tactics within the day; green males used their home ranges more, were more active and had a higher degree of overlap with other males in the morning than in the afternoon. Brown males did not show these variations through the day. Green males participated in, and won more intrasexual agonistic interactions. Also, green males overlapped more extensively with areas of potential mates, and guarded females more often than brown males. These behavioural differences between males showed plasticity through ontogeny in the use of space, time and types of activity.

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Paint Marking Lizards: Does the Color Affect Survivorship?

Cited by 22 publications

References 6 publications

Latitudinal Variation in Rates of Overwinter Mortality in the Lizard Uta Stansburiana

Latitudinal Variation in Rates of Overwinter Mortality in the Lizard Uta Stansburiana

Changes in thermal quality of the environment along an elevational gradient affect investment in thermoregulation by Yarrow’s spiny lizards

The Ontogeny of Spatio‐Temporal Tactics and Social Relationships of Adult Male Iberian Rock Lizards, Lacerta monticola

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