The Chemical Detection of Conspecifics by Juvenile Yarrow's Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus jarrovi

Bissinger, Barbara E.; Simon, Carol A.

doi:10.2307/1563649

Cited by 25 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In squamates, the number of tongue-flicks is correlated with the ability to discriminate a vomodor (Font 1996); hence, detection and recognition of stimuli is reflected in differences in the number of tongue-flicks among treatments (Cooper 1998). Additionally, different authors have proposed chemical self-recognition when lizards show fewer TF under conditions confronted to their own stimuli than with those of conspecifics (e.g., Bissinger & Simon 1981, Alberts 1992a, López et al 1997, Cooper et al 1999, Aragón et al 2001. The experiments with intact feces of L. tenuis strongly suggest that feces contain pheromones that allow self-recognition, since lizards performed fewer TF to rocks spread with their own fecal suspensions than with those from a cosexual or with water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sources of pheromones in the lizard Liolaemus tenuis

Labra

Escobar

Aguilar

et al. 2002

Rev. chil. hist. nat.

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Experimental tests were conducted with the lizard Liolaemus tenuis (Tropiduridae), to determine the potential sources of pheromones used in its chemical communication, centered in the phenomenon of self-recognition. During the postreproductive season, feces of both sexes and secretions of precloacal pores (present only in males) were tested. Stimuli were presented to lizards spread on rocks, and the number of tongue-flicks (TF) to the rocks was used as a bioassay to determine pheromone recognition. Feces contained pheromones involved in self-recognition, since lizards showed less TF confronted to rocks with suspensions of their own feces than with suspensions of feces of conspecifics or with water (control). In order to assess the chemical nature of self-recognition pheromones, feces were submitted to a sequential extraction with three solvents of increasing polarity, thereby obtaining three feces fractions. There were no differences in TF towards rocks with different fractions with own feces. Additionally, lizards showed similar TF to rocks with fractions of own and conspecific feces, suggesting that the separation procedure broke up a complex stimulus into parts that were not active individually as pheromones. Finally, males did not discriminate between precloacal secretions from themselves and from another male. It is possible that these secretions convey information relevant to or detectable by females only.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sources of pheromones in the lizard Liolaemus tenuis

Labra

Escobar

Aguilar

et al. 2002

Rev. chil. hist. nat.

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“…Nerodia sipedon , Scudder et al. 1980; Sceloporus jarrovi , Bissinger & Simon 1981; Thamnophis sirtalis , Halpin 1990; Tiliqua scincoides , Graves & Halpern 1991; Iguana iguana , Alberts & Werner 1993; Podarcis hispanica , Gómez et al. 1993; Eumeces laticeps , Cooper 1996b; Blanus cinereus , López et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemosensory Recognition of Familiar and Unfamiliar Conspecifics by Juveniles of the Iberian Wall Lizard Podarcis hispanica

Font¹,

Desfilis²

2002

Ethology

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Chemosensory recognition of familiar conspecifics has been reported in studies with members of several lizard families and may be advantageous to distinguish between intruders and neighbors or group members. However, few species have been studied and information on the ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics by chemosensory means is lacking for most lizard families. In this paper we ask whether juveniles of the Iberian wall lizard Podarcis hispanica (Lacertidae), can discriminate between chemical signals from familiar conspecifics with whom they have shared a terrarium for several months and those from unfamiliar conspecifics housed in a different terrarium. Experimental trials were conducted by transferring juveniles to a test terrarium with a filter paper substrate. We tested the responses of lizards to paper substrates labeled by familiar cage‐mates, unfamiliar conspecifics, or unlabeled. Tongue‐flicks and other behaviors in response to pheromonal stimuli were recorded for 10 min Juveniles directed more chemosensory behavior towards paper substrates bearing chemicals from familiar conspecifics than towards similar paper substrates labeled by unfamiliar conspecifics. These results indicate that juveniles in this lizard species can recognize familiar conspecifics and discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals using only chemical stimuli. We discuss the role of habituation in familiar conspecific recognition and review possible explanations of the functional significance of this type of discrimination in lizards.

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“…Finally, chemosensory behaviors were recorded and included tongue‐flicks, licks, and gapes. Chemosensory behaviors directed toward the substrate are often exploratory and can be positively associated with movement through the environment (e.g., Bissinger & Simon, )…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlates of melanization in multiple high‐ and low‐elevation populations of the lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis: Behavior, hormones, and parasites

Seddon

Hews

2017

J Exp Zool Pt A

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Hormones mediate the expression of suites of correlated traits and hence may act either to facilitate or constrain adaptive evolution. Selection on one trait within a hormone-mediated suite of traits may lead to a change in the strength of the hormone signal, causing changes in correlated traits. Growing evidence suggests that melanization, which is in part regulated by hormonal signals, is tightly linked to other traits, such as aggression and stress physiology. Here, we examine six populations of Sceloporus occidentalis lizards differing in degree of melanization (three dark higher-elevation populations and three less-melanized lower-elevation populations) to investigate potential correlations between behavior, hormones, and parasites. We measured aggression by recording behavioral responses of males to staged territorial intrusions; behavior was summarized by two principal components. Analysis revealed that males in the three darker populations signaled aggression less often and made more physical contact than males in the lighter populations. Analyses of plasma steroid hormones (corticosterone and testosterone) revealed significant population differences, but counter to expectation higher aggression was associated with lower testosterone compared across populations. Finally, the three darker populations had higher mean mite loads than the three lighter populations. Overall, this array of phenotypic correlations does not parallel patterns of within-population differences in melanization found in other vertebrates, suggesting that hormonal correlations do not constrain phenotype variation across populations in this species. Given this contradiction between population- and individual-level variation, we urge more study at both levels of variation in traits potentially associated with melanization in other vertebrates.

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The Chemical Detection of Conspecifics by Juvenile Yarrow's Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus jarrovi

Cited by 25 publications

References 11 publications

Sources of pheromones in the lizard Liolaemus tenuis

Sources of pheromones in the lizard Liolaemus tenuis

Chemosensory Recognition of Familiar and Unfamiliar Conspecifics by Juveniles of the Iberian Wall Lizard Podarcis hispanica

Correlates of melanization in multiple high‐ and low‐elevation populations of the lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis: Behavior, hormones, and parasites

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