Whiptail lizards (Aspidoscelis exsanguis) recognize invertebrate prey via cuticular hydrocarbons

Abstract

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) present on the surface of arthropods are important mediators of both intraspecific and interspecific interactions. They are known to be important chemical cues that help predatory arthropods locate prey, yet less is known about if and how vertebrate insectivores use these nearly ubiquitous chemical cues. We examined behavioral responses of insectivorous lizards (Aspidoscelis exsanguis) to the CHCs of three different species of arthropod prey (crickets, ants, and spiders). We presented cotton swabs with either extracted CHCs or a solvent control to determine if lizards respond to CHCs in the absence of visual cues of prey. We found that CHCs not only increased the frequency of chemosensory behaviors performed by predatory lizards, but that they also elicit feeding‐like behavior from lizards (e.g., biting at the cotton swabs). These results indicate that lizards not only respond to arthropod CHCs, but that they are sufficient for prey‐recognition by our chosen lizard species. This finding lays the ground work for future studies to investigate the precise compounds that are used by foraging lizards, and how the chemical communication systems of arthropods respond to selection exerted by vertebrate predators.