1
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Megía-Palma R, Paranjpe D, Cooper RD, Blaimont P, Sinervo B. Natural parasites in conjunction with behavioral and color traits explain male agonistic behaviors in a lizard. Curr Zool 2024; 70:59-69. [PMID: 38476133 PMCID: PMC10926264 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Male competition conforms to a cost-benefit model, because while aggression may increase reproductive prospects, it can also increase the risk of injury. We hypothesize that an additional cost in aggressive males would be an increase in parasite load associated with a high energy investment into sexual competition. Some of these infections, in turn, may downmodulate the level of host aggression via energetic trade-offs. We staged dyadic male contests in the lab to investigate the relationships of multiple parasites with the agonistic behavior of lizard hosts, Sceloporus occidentalis. We also included both color and behavioral traits from opponents in the analyses because (1) color patches of lizards may serve as intraspecific signals used by conspecifics to assess the quality of opponents, and (2) contests between male lizards fit classical models of escalated aggression, where lizards increase aggression displays in response to an opponent's behavior. The results conform to our hypothesis because male lizards displayed more pushups when they had more ticks. Moreover, some parasites may modulate the levels of aggression because lizards infected by hematic coccidians performed fewer pushups. Interestingly, lizards also displayed fewer pushups when both the chroma and size of the opponent's blue patch were greater. The results thus also supported the role of the blue patch of S. occidentalis as a sexual armament, because it contributed to the deterrence of aggression from opponent lizards. We revealed that natural parasitic infections in lizard hosts can contribute to their agonistic behavior. We encourage future studies to account for parasites in behavioral tests with lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Megía-Palma
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Parasitology Unit, Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), E-28805, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, P-4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, P-4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Dhanashree Paranjpe
- Rupa Rahul Bajaj Center for Environment and Art, Empress Botanical Gardens, Kavade Mala, Pune, India
| | - Robert D Cooper
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Pauline Blaimont
- Department of Biology, University of Houston Downtown, 1 Main St., Houston, TX 77002, USA
| | - Barry Sinervo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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2
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Lozano A, Sites Jr JW, Ramírez-Bautista A, Marshall JC, Pavón NP, Cruz-Elizalde R. Allometric analysis of sexual dimorphism and morphological variation in two chromosome races of the Sceloporus grammicus complex (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from Mexico. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e94004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is a widespread feature in the Animal Kingdom. In lizards of the Sceloporus grammicus complex, studies of sexual dimorphism that analyze the allometric trajectories of body traits remain unexplored. Here we investigate sexual dimorphism in key phenotypic traits, including body size (snout-vent length, SVL) as well as head length (HL), head width (HW), and forearm length (FL). We use an allometric approach to detect differences in scale relationships among body parts in the S. grammicus complex in Mexico. We focus on two chromosomal races within this complex, F5 (2n = 34) and FM2 (2n = 46). In the complex, we found that males are larger than females in all morphological variables, and this pattern was confirmed in both races. We determined negative allometric trajectories (SVLvs.HL and HW), isometry (SVLvs.FL) and intersexual differences in the slopes of the SVLvs.HL and HW; the males showed steeper slopes. Thus, the growth of the head is more pronounced in males than females. Additionally, we found between-race differences in these trajectories (SVLvs.FL) and in all morphological variables (F5 lizards are larger than those of the FM2 race), which correlate with their chromosomal divergence. We discuss biological implications of our findings in relation to sexual selection and natural selection.
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3
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Colour morph predicts social behaviour and contest outcomes in a polymorphic lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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4
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Avoiding the effects of translocation on the estimates of the metabolic rates across an elevational gradient. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:659-668. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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5
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Domínguez‐Godoy MA, Hudson R, Montoya B, Bastiaans E, Díaz de la Vega‐Pérez AH. Too cool to fight: Is ambient temperature associated with male aggressive behavior in the mesquite lizard? J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Domínguez‐Godoy
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
- Laboratorio de Herpetología Departamento de Zoología Instituto de Biología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - R. Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - B. Montoya
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
| | - E. Bastiaans
- State University of New York College at Oneonta Oneonta NY USA
| | - A. H. Díaz de la Vega‐Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología‐Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
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6
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García‐Rosales A, Stephenson BP, Ramírez‐Bautista A, Manjarrez J, Pavón NP. Female choice and male aggression in the polymorphic lizard
Sceloporus minor. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron García‐Rosales
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Comportamiento Animal Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana‐Iztapalapa Iztapalapa Mexico
| | | | - Aurelio Ramírez‐Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
| | - Javier Manjarrez
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Bióticos Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Toluca Mexico
| | - Numa P. Pavón
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Comunidades Centro de Investigación Biológica Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo Mineral de La Reforma Mexico
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7
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Argaez V, Pruett JA, Seddon RJ, Solano-Zavaleta I, Hews DK, Zúñiga-Vega JJ. Steroid hormones, ectoparasites, and color: Sex, species, and seasonal differences in Sceloporus lizards. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 304:113717. [PMID: 33476662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone, in addition to promoting the expression of sexual ornaments can negatively affect immune function, leaving individuals more susceptible to parasites (immunocompetence handicap hypothesis). Immunosuppressive effects of testosterone also can occur indirectly, through increased glucocorticoid hormones (corticosterone, cortisol). Therefore, the expression of sexual ornaments and the ability to respond to parasites and diseases may be influenced by the interaction between testosterone and corticosterone. In this study we examined correlations of both testosterone and corticosterone with ectoparasite load and with expression of colorful sexual ornaments (patches on belly and throat) in three species of Sceloporus lizards (S. grammicus, S. megalepidurus, S. torquatus). In addition, we evaluated contributions of sex, body condition, and reproductive season. We expected that individuals with higher testosterone and lower corticosterone levels would have more colorful ornaments than individuals with higher corticosterone levels. In addition, if testosterone has negative effects on immune function but only at higher corticosterone levels, individuals with higher levels of testosterone and corticosterone should have higher ectoparasite loads. Contrary to these expectations, we did not detect an interaction between testosterone and corticosterone statistically affecting either ectoparasite load or the expression of colorful ornaments. Further, we did not find a positive association of either testosterone or corticosterone on ectoparasite loads in any of the three study species. Only in S. grammicus males was a hormone statistically associated with ectoparasite load, but it was a negative association with testosterone. The relationships between both hormones and different aspects of the colorful patches (brightness and chroma) varied drastically among the three species as well as between sexes. Hence, even among congeneric species, we did not observe consistent patterns among color, steroid hormones and ectoparasites. Different associations between these variables may reflect different physiological strategies for the production of colorful signals and immune defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Argaez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Jake A Pruett
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK 74701, USA.
| | - Ryan J Seddon
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA.
| | - Israel Solano-Zavaleta
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Diana K Hews
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA.
| | - J Jaime Zúñiga-Vega
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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8
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Domínguez-Godoy MA, Gómez-Campos JE, Hudson R, Díaz de la Vega-Pérez AH. Lower Predation with Increasing Altitude in the Mesquite Lizard Sceloporus grammicus. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2020. [DOI: 10.3398/064.080.0401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Domínguez-Godoy
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - J. Erick Gómez-Campos
- Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Robyn Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Aníbal H. Díaz de la Vega-Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala. Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla km 1.5 C.P. Tlaxcala, 90062 Mexico
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9
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Brock KM, Baeckens S, Donihue CM, Martín J, Pafilis P, Edwards DL. Trait differences among discrete morphs of a color polymorphic lizard, Podarcis erhardii. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10284. [PMID: 33194436 PMCID: PMC7649010 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Color polymorphism defies evolutionary expectations as striking phenotypic variation is maintained within a single species. Color and other traits mediate social interactions, and stable polymorphism within a population is hypothesized to be related to correlational selection of other phenotypic traits among color morphs. Here, we report on a previously unknown throat color polymorphism in the Aegean Wall Lizard (Podarcis erhardii) and examine morph-correlated differences in traits important to social behavior and communication: maximum bite force capacity and chemical signal profile. We find that both sexes of P. erhardii have three color morphs: orange, yellow, and white. Moreover, orange males are significantly larger and tend to bite harder than yellow and white males. Although the established color polymorphism only partially matches the observed intraspecific variation in chemical signal signatures, the chemical profile of the secretions of orange males is significantly divergent from that of white males. Our findings suggest that morph colors are related to differences in traits that are crucial for social interactions and competitive ability, illustrating the need to look beyond color when studying polymorphism evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinsey M Brock
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States of America.,Quantitative and Systems Biology Graduate Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States of America
| | - Simon Baeckens
- Laboratory of Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Colin M Donihue
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States of America
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Department of Zoology and Marine Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Athens, Greece.,Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Danielle L Edwards
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States of America
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10
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Lozano A, Ramírez-Bautista A, Cruz-Elizalde R. Intraspecific variation in a lizard from the Central Mexican Plateau: intersexual differences in size and shape explored. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Morphological adaptations of individuals are directly (or indirectly) determined by the environment. Depending on sex, these adaptations may vary in different ways, given that different selective forces may be operating on organisms. Here, we evaluate intraspecific morphological variation (size and shape) in two populations of Sceloporus grammicus that occur in different structural habitats (trees and rocks). No difference in overall body size was found between the two populations. However, strong differences were found in body shape; the tree population was characterized by having shorter hindlimb proportions than the rock population, which agrees with the theory of biomechanical models. Furthermore, our results show that this species is dimorphic in size and shape, both in sex and population effects. A review of the literature suggests that the large overall body size and relatively longer distal segments of males could be an advantage for defending their territory, and the observation that females had relatively longer head length may be related to trophic niche divergence; however, this remains to be tested. Detailed quantification of behaviour, performance and reproductive characteristics must be performed to shed light on the evolution of sexual dimorphism in this widely distributed species in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Lozano
- CIIDIR Unidad Durango, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Durango, México
| | - Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Mineral de La Reforma, Hidalgo, México
| | - Raciel Cruz-Elizalde
- Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad de México CP, México
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11
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Abalos J, Pérez i de Lanuza G, Bartolomé A, Liehrmann O, Laakkonen H, Aubret F, Uller T, Carazo P, Font E. No evidence for differential sociosexual behavior and space use in the color morphs of the European common wall lizard ( Podarcis muralis). Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10986-11005. [PMID: 33144943 PMCID: PMC7593164 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Explaining the evolutionary origin and maintenance of color polymorphisms is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Such polymorphisms are commonly thought to reflect the existence of alternative behavioral or life-history strategies under negative frequency-dependent selection. The European common wall lizard Podarcis muralis exhibits a striking ventral color polymorphism that has been intensely studied and is often assumed to reflect alternative reproductive strategies, similar to the iconic "rock-paper-scissors" system described in the North American lizard Uta stansburiana. However, available studies so far have ignored central aspects in the behavioral ecology of this species that are crucial to assess the existence of alternative reproductive strategies. Here, we try to fill this gap by studying the social behavior, space use, and reproductive performance of lizards showing different color morphs, both in a free-ranging population from the eastern Pyrenees and in ten experimental mesocosm enclosures. In the natural population, we found no differences between morphs in site fidelity, space use, or male-female spatial overlap. Likewise, color morph was irrelevant to sociosexual behavior, space use, and reproductive success within experimental enclosures. Our results contradict the commonly held hypothesis that P. muralis morphs reflect alternative behavioral strategies, and suggest that we should instead turn our attention to alternative functional explanations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Abalos
- Ethology LabInstituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología EvolutivaUniversitat de ValènciaValènciaSpain
| | - Guillem Pérez i de Lanuza
- Ethology LabInstituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología EvolutivaUniversitat de ValènciaValènciaSpain
- CIBIO/InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos da Universidade do PortoPortoPortugal
| | - Alicia Bartolomé
- Ethology LabInstituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología EvolutivaUniversitat de ValènciaValènciaSpain
| | | | | | - Fabien Aubret
- SETEStation d’Ecologie Théorique et ExpérimentaleUMR5321Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueParisFrance
| | | | - Pau Carazo
- Ethology LabInstituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología EvolutivaUniversitat de ValènciaValènciaSpain
| | - Enrique Font
- Ethology LabInstituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología EvolutivaUniversitat de ValènciaValènciaSpain
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12
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Naretto S, Chiaraviglio M. Factors driving sexual dimorphism and colour variability in the Achala Copper Lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis), an endemic species to the highland mountains in central Argentina. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The intensity of mating competition varies according to the temporal and spatial distribution of individuals. Measuring sexual dimorphism over time and interpreting the association between individuals is therefore important if we aim to understand how sexual traits are influenced. We examined sex differences in the Achala Copper Lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis (Gallardo, 1964)), an endemic species from the highest part of mountains of central Argentina. Over 4 years, we explored sex-specific variation in body size, head size, interlimb length, and body colouration. Furthermore, we evaluated how these traits varied temporally, and we also explored whether the spatial distribution of individuals is explained by variation in these traits. We found that P. achalensis is a species with sexual dimorphism in multiple characters, including body size, head size, and colouration. Interestingly, some traits related to mating, such as head width, show a temporal variability in both sexes, whereas other traits, such as colouration, varies seasonally only in males. Our results underline the intriguing possibility of seasonal morphological changes related to mating, and more broadly that sex differences are influenced by sexual selection pressures mediated by temporal variation in mate competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Naretto
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - M. Chiaraviglio
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Vélez Sársfield 299, CP X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
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13
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Sexual dimorphism in size and shape among populations of the lizard Sceloporus variabilis (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae). ZOOLOGY 2020; 140:125781. [PMID: 32388120 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in lizards is determined by ecological and environmental factors. Broadly distributed species may show variation in patterns of sexual dimorphism toward either sex, as well as exhibiting variation in morphological dimensions. In the present study, sexual dimorphism in size and shape attributes was evaluated in three populations of the lizard Sceloporus variabilis from different environments in Mexico. We evaluated the size attributes of 10 morphological variables: snout-vent length (SVL), tibia length (TL), femur length (FeL), forearm length (FoL), interaxial distance (ID), head length (HL), head width (HW), head height (HH), jaw length (JL), and jaw width (JW). We also evaluated the attributes of shape (relative dimensions of the 10 morphological variables). In the size attribute, sexual dimorphism was found, with males being larger than females. In the case of shape, sexual dimorphism was found, with the females being larger in relative dimensions of ID and JW. Also, the males showed larger relative dimensions in TL, FeL and FoL. Differences were found between populations in the dimension of the variables analyzed in each sex. The pattern in size can be explained by sexual selection, where the males of each population maintain larger dimensions to compete for territory and access to females. In shape, females can be favored if they have larger relative ID and JW, as it promotes maintenance of clutch sizes, and use of microhabitats and different consumption of prey types than males. In the case of males, relative dimensions of TL, FeL and FoL may be functioning as important traits for escape from predators. The present study shows the importance of incorporating size and shape variables into analyses of sexual dimorphism among populations of a single species with a wide distribution. These types of studies help to identify the causes that promote sexual dimorphism, as well as the degree of difference among populations that inhabit different environments.
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14
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Plasman M, Bautista A, McCUE MD, DÍaz DE LA Vega-PÉrez AH. Resting metabolic rates increase with elevation in a mountain-dwelling lizard. Integr Zool 2020; 15:363-374. [PMID: 32306560 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Individuals that inhabit broad elevational ranges may experience unique environmental challenges. Because temperature decreases with increased elevation, the ectotherms living at high elevations have to manage limited activity time and high thermoregulatory effort. The resting metabolic rate (RMR) of a postabsorptive animal is related to its total energy requirements as well as many other fitness traits. Mesquite lizards (Sceloporus grammicus) living on La Malinche Volcano, Mexico, inhabit a wide elevational range with some populations apparently thriving above the tree line. We measured the RMR of lizards from different elevations (i.e., 2,600, 3,200, and 4,100 m) at four ecologically relevant temperatures (i.e., 15, 25, 30, and 35 °C) and found that RMR of mesquite lizards increased with temperature and body mass. More importantly, lizards from the high-elevation population had mass specific RMR that was higher at all temperatures. While the higher RMRs of high-elevation populations imply higher metabolic costs at a given temperature these lizards were also smaller. Both of these traits may allow these high elevation populations to thrive in the face of the thermal challenges imposed by their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Plasman
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Amando Bautista
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
| | | | - Aníbal H DÍaz DE LA Vega-PÉrez
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
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15
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García-Rosales A, Ramírez-Bautista A, Stephenson BP. Comparative morphology and trophic ecology in a population of the polymorphic lizard Sceloporus minor (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from central Mexico. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8099. [PMID: 31772844 PMCID: PMC6876576 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymorphism among individuals of the same population has generally been linked to alternative reproductive tactics, where different morphs can exhibit differences in their morphological, ecological, and behavioral attributes. These differences may result in a divergence in diet between morphs due to differential exploitation of habitat, morphological differences that influence prey selection, or differential energy expenditure that results in different nutritional needs. The present study analyzes the morphology (morphometry and body mass) and diet of red and yellow male morphs in a population (El Enzuelado) of the lizard Sceloporus minor from central Mexico. No differences between morphs were found for any of the morphometric variables analyzed (snout-vent length, tail length, jaw length, jaw width, head length, head width, head height, tibia length, femur length, forearm length and ventral patch length). In both morphs, allometric growth was observed in all body features analyzed, as well as in morphometric features of the head across seasons. Analysis of stomach contents showed that the diet of red males was composed of 12 categories of prey, while that of yellow males was composed of 10 categories; those categories of diet not shared between morphs (e.g., Isoptera, Psocoptera) were consumed by their respective morph in very low proportions. Categories of diet with the highest values of food importance for both groups were Coleoptera, Orthoptera, and leaves; a similar pattern was seen across seasons. This, in turn, is reflected in low niche breadth values for each morph and a very high niche overlap. There were no significant differences between morphs overall, or between morphs per season, in the weight and volume of stomach contents or in the number of prey items found in stomachs; however, differences in these variables across all males (independent of morph) were recorded between seasons. Likewise, no significant correlations were found between body size (snout-vent length) and the volume of stomach contents for either morph or between lizard mandibular dimensions and the volume of stomach contents for red morph males. For the yellow morph, prey volume unexpectedly decreased significantly with jaw size rather than increasing as expected. Overall, this study adds new information about the morphology and feeding of males in this species, and suggests that in this population, color morphs lack the morphological and ecological differences found in some other species of polymorphic lizard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron García-Rosales
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigación Biológica, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, México
| | - Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigación Biológica, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, México
| | - Barry P. Stephenson
- Department of Biology, Mercer University, Macon, GA, United States of America
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Wollenberg Valero KC, Marshall JC, Bastiaans E, Caccone A, Camargo A, Morando M, Niemiller ML, Pabijan M, Russello MA, Sinervo B, Werneck FP, Sites JW, Wiens JJ, Steinfartz S. Patterns, Mechanisms and Genetics of Speciation in Reptiles and Amphibians. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10090646. [PMID: 31455040 PMCID: PMC6769790 DOI: 10.3390/genes10090646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this contribution, the aspects of reptile and amphibian speciation that emerged from research performed over the past decade are reviewed. First, this study assesses how patterns and processes of speciation depend on knowing the taxonomy of the group in question, and discuss how integrative taxonomy has contributed to speciation research in these groups. This study then reviews the research on different aspects of speciation in reptiles and amphibians, including biogeography and climatic niches, ecological speciation, the relationship between speciation rates and phenotypic traits, and genetics and genomics. Further, several case studies of speciation in reptiles and amphibians that exemplify many of these themes are discussed. These include studies of integrative taxonomy and biogeography in South American lizards, ecological speciation in European salamanders, speciation and phenotypic evolution in frogs and lizards. The final case study combines genomics and biogeography in tortoises. The field of amphibian and reptile speciation research has steadily moved forward from the assessment of geographic and ecological aspects, to incorporating other dimensions of speciation, such as genetic mechanisms and evolutionary forces. A higher degree of integration among all these dimensions emerges as a goal for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathon C Marshall
- Department of Zoology, Weber State University, 1415 Edvalson Street, Dept. 2505, Ogden, UT 84401, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bastiaans
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY 13820, USA
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Arley Camargo
- Centro Universitario de Rivera, Universidad de la República, Ituzaingó 667, Rivera 40000, Uruguay
| | - Mariana Morando
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC, CENPAT-CONICET) Bv. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - Matthew L Niemiller
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Maciej Pabijan
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michael A Russello
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3247 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Barry Sinervo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Coastal Biology Building, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Fernanda P Werneck
- Programa de Coleções Científicas Biológicas, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus 69060-000, Brazil
| | - Jack W Sites
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - John J Wiens
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Molecular Evolution and Systematics of Animals, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstrasse 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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17
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Rangel-Patiño C, García-Morales C, Mastachi-Loza C, Carmen-Cristóbal JM, Ruiz-Gómez MDL. Personality and its variation between sexes in the black-bellied bunchgrass lizard Sceloporus aeneus
during the breeding season. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Rangel-Patiño
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta, Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Toluca Estado de México México
| | - Carla García-Morales
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y del Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Toluca Estado de México México
| | - Carlos Mastachi-Loza
- Centro Interamericano de Recursos del Agua, Facultad de Ingeniería; Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Toluca Estado de México México
| | - Juan M. Carmen-Cristóbal
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta, Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Toluca Estado de México México
| | - María de Lourdes Ruiz-Gómez
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta, Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; Toluca Estado de México México
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19
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Brown DM, Lattanzio MS. Resource variability and the collapse of a dominance hierarchy in a colour polymorphic species. BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Intraspecific social dominance hierarchies should be influenced by environmental variation; however, in colour polymorphic species, dominance hierarchies are often assumed fixed, and thus insensitive to environmental variability. We ran a series of experiments using the colour polymorphic long-tailed brush lizard (Urosaurus graciosus) to challenge this assumption. We staged contests between orange and yellow morph males over a single heated perch, two perches at the same temperature, or two perches differing in temperature. Our first experiment revealed that orange-throated males are socially dominant. However, this hierarchy collapsed in our other experiments as yellow males became more aggressive. Interestingly, both males only ever secured their own perch where the perches differed in temperature. These findings mirror observations of morph behavioural flexibility in nature and studies of behaviour–environment interactions in non-polymorphic taxa. We conclude that colour morphs may have an underappreciated ability to assess resource-level changes and respond with concomitant flexibility in behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawson M. Brown
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
| | - Matthew S. Lattanzio
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
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20
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Argaez V, Solano-Zavaleta I, Zúñiga-Vega JJ. Another potential cost of tail autotomy: tail loss may result in high ectoparasite loads in Sceloporus lizards. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-17000156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Tail autotomy is a common phenomenon in lizards that increases the chances of immediate survival during a predation event or agonistic encounter. However, despite short-term benefits, tail regeneration may also impose costs. Several studies have demonstrated that tail loss compromises other vital functions such as lipid storage, reproduction, and the immune system. Several lizard species are hosts of mites and ticks. Here we evaluated in three lizard species from the genus Sceloporus, whether individuals that have lost their tails and invested energy in tail regeneration are more susceptible to ectoparasites. Using a multimodel inference framework, we examined if tail loss and regeneration, as well as sex, body condition, and season (dry or rainy) predict ectoparasite load. Our results indicate that investing energy and resources in tail regeneration compromises defence against ectoparasites. These costs differed between sexes and among species. Overall, ectoparasite load increases during the rainy season and is on average higher in males. In S. grammicus, during the rainy season, males with regenerated tails and in poor body condition had more ectoparasites than males with intact tails in good body condition. In S. megalepidurus, we observed the same effect during the rainy season but in females rather than males. In S. torquatus, we found no effect of tail loss on ectoparasite load. We discuss the possibility that differences observed among species reflect differences in both species-specific physiological trade-offs and local environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Argaez
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - Israel Solano-Zavaleta
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, México
| | - J. Jaime Zúñiga-Vega
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, México
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21
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Vicente NS, Halloy M. Interaction between visual and chemical cues in a Liolaemus lizard: a multimodal approach. ZOOLOGY 2017; 125:24-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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Behavioral and physiological polymorphism in males of the austral lizard Liolaemus sarmientoi. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:219-230. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1233-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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23
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Scordato ES. Geographical variation in male territory defence strategies in an avian ring species. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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FERNÁNDEZ JB, MEDINA M, KUBISCH EL, SCOLARO JA, IBARGÜENGOYTÍA NR. Reproductive strategies in males of the world's southernmost lizards. Integr Zool 2017; 12:132-147. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jimena B. FERNÁNDEZ
- INIBIOMA-CONICET, Zoology Department; Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche Institute, Universidad Nacional del Comahue; San Carlos de Bariloche Argentina
| | - Marlin MEDINA
- CIEMEP-CONICET, Biology Department; Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco; Esquel Argentina
| | - Erika L. KUBISCH
- INIBIOMA-CONICET, Zoology Department; Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche Institute, Universidad Nacional del Comahue; San Carlos de Bariloche Argentina
| | - José A. SCOLARO
- CENPAT-CONICET; Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco; Trelew Argentina
| | - Nora R. IBARGÜENGOYTÍA
- INIBIOMA-CONICET, Zoology Department; Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche Institute, Universidad Nacional del Comahue; San Carlos de Bariloche Argentina
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25
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Leyte-Manrique A, Hernández-Salinas U, Ramírez-Bautista A, Mata-Silva V, Marshall JC. Habitat use in eight populations of Sceloporus grammicus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) from the Mexican Plateau. Integr Zool 2016; 12:198-210. [PMID: 27734634 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Studies on habitat use have often helped explain observed variation in morphology, behavior and reproductive characteristics among populations within a single species. Here we analyze morphological and ecological characteristics of individuals from the Sceloporus grammicus species complex from 7 different localities (CER, El Cerezo; PAC, Pachuca; HUI, Huichapan; EZA, Emiliano Zapata; SMR, San Miguel Regla; LMJ, La Mojonera; and LMZ, La Manzana) in the state of Hidalgo, and one locality (Cahuacán) in the State of Mexico. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that females from PAC, EZA, LMZ, HUI, SMR and CAH populations use similar microhabitats characterized mostly by bare soil, in females from LMJ and CER use microhabitats characterized primarily by vegetation and rocks. Females were observed using 12 different types of perches. With regard to perch height use, the CCA showed that females from PAC, LMJ, LMZ, SMR, CER and CAH populations were correlated with height to nearest perch (HNP), in the rest of the females were not related to any perch use variable. In contrast, the CCA showed that males from PAC, LMJ and CAH were characterized by microhabitats with higher vegetal coverage, while males from LMZ and CER used microhabitats composed of bare soil, but males from HUI and SMR populations used microhabitats composed chiefly of bare soil and rocks. With respect to perch height use, the CCA showed that males from PAC, LMJ, EZA and LMZ were correlated with distance to the nearest perch, but the rest of the males were not correlated with any perch use variables. Males were observed in 9 different perch types. The males were larger than the females in all morphological variables analyzed. Moreover, in both sexes the snout-vent length is positively correlated with all morphological variables, and although both the slope and ordinate of the origin of all morphological variables were larger in males than females, the analysis of covariance indicated that there is no increase in the morphological variables with increasing SVL between sexes. Our results suggest that variation in habitat use and morphology among populations is an adaptive response (phenotypic plasticity) to the environmental conditions where these populations of Sceloporus grammicus occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Leyte-Manrique
- Laboratorio de Biología, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Salvatierra, Salvatierra, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Uriel Hernández-Salinas
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, CIIDIR Unidad Durango, Sigma 119, Fraccionamiento 20 de Noviembre II, Durango, Durango 34220, México
| | - Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Poblaciones, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Km 4.5 carretera Pachuca-Tulancingo, 42184, Mineral de la Reforma, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Vicente Mata-Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathon C Marshall
- Department of Zoology, Weber State University, 1415 Edvalson Street, Ogden, Utah, USA
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26
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Rankin KJ, McLean CA, Kemp DJ, Stuart-Fox D. The genetic basis of discrete and quantitative colour variation in the polymorphic lizard, Ctenophorus decresii. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:179. [PMID: 27600682 PMCID: PMC5012029 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0757-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Colour polymorphic species provide invaluable insight into processes that generate and maintain intra-specific variation. Despite an increasing understanding of the genetic basis of discrete morphs, sources of colour variation within morphs remain poorly understood. Here we use the polymorphic tawny dragon lizard Ctenophorus decresii to test simple Mendelian models for the inheritance of discrete morphs, and to investigate the genetic basis of continuous variation among individuals across morphs. Males of this species express either orange, yellow, orange surrounded by yellow, or grey throats. Although four discrete morphs are recognised, the extent of orange and yellow varies greatly. We artificially elevated testosterone in F0 females and F1 juveniles to induce them to express the male throat colour polymorphism, and quantified colour variation across the pedigree. Results Inheritance of discrete morphs in C. decresii best fit a model whereby two autosomal loci with complete dominance respectively determine the presence of orange and yellow. However, a single locus model with three co-dominant alleles for orange, yellow and grey could not be definitively rejected. Additionally, quantitative expression of the proportion of orange and yellow on the throat was strongly heritable (orange: h2 = 0.84 ± 0.14; yellow: h2 = 0.67 ± 0.19), with some evidence for covariance between the two. Conclusions Our study supports the theoretical prediction that polymorphism should be governed by few genes of major effect, but implies broader genetic influence on variation in constituent morph traits. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0757-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina J Rankin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Claire A McLean
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Sciences, Museum Victoria, Carlton Gardens, VIC, 3053, Australia
| | - Darrell J Kemp
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Devi Stuart-Fox
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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27
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Seddon RJ, Hews DK. Phenotypic correlates of melanization in two Sceloporus occidentalis (Phrynosomatidae) populations: Behavior, androgens, stress reactivity, and ectoparasites. Physiol Behav 2016; 163:70-80. [PMID: 27137079 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying production of animal coloration can affect key traits besides coloration. Melanin, and molecules regulating melanin, can directly and indirectly affect other phenotypic traits including aggression, stress-reactivity, and immune function. We studied correlation of melanization with these other traits, comparing within- and between-population differences of adult male western fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis. We compared one high- and one low-elevation population in California where individuals are increasingly darker at higher elevations, working during comparable periods of the breeding season at each site (first egg clutch). We measured agonistic behaviors of free-ranging males in response to staged territorial intrusions (STIs). In other sets of males we measured baseline testosterone and corticosterone levels, and hormonal-reactivity to a stress handling paradigm. We counted ectoparasite loads for all males. There were no significant associations between individual variation in melanization and individual variation in any of the variables measured. However, analysis of behavior from the STIs revealed that males in the darker high-elevation population responded with more aggressive behavior compared to males in the lighter low-elevation population. Males in the low-elevation population had significantly higher mean baseline testosterone, but the two populations did not differ in adrenal function (baseline corticosterone or corticosterone after 1-h confinement stress). Males in the darker high-elevation population had higher mean mite loads compared to males in the lighter population. This array of phenotypic differences between the two populations, and the absence of trait associations when assessing individual variation, do not parallel the patterns in other vertebrates. We describe potential differences in selective regimes that could produce these different patterns across vertebrates. These data suggest that hormonal pleiotropy does not constrain phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Seddon
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA.
| | - Diana K Hews
- Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA
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28
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Anderson C, Jones R, Moscicki M, Clotfelter E, Earley RL. Seeing orange: breeding convict cichlids exhibit heightened aggression against more colorful intruders. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2085-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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29
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Yewers MSC, Pryke S, Stuart-Fox D. Behavioural differences across contexts may indicate morph-specific strategies in the lizard Ctenophorus decresii. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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30
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Coloration in the polymorphic frog Oophaga pumilio associates with level of aggressiveness in intraspecific and interspecific behavioral interactions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2027-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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31
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Bolton PE, Rollins LA, Griffith SC. The danger within: the role of genetic, behavioural and ecological factors in population persistence of colour polymorphic species. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:2907-15. [PMID: 25870951 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Revised: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Polymorphic species have been the focus of important work in evolutionary biology. It has been suggested that colour polymorphic species have specific evolutionary and population dynamics that enable them to persist through environmental changes better than less variable species. We suggest that recent empirical and theoretical work indicates that polymorphic species may be more vulnerable to extinction than previously thought. This vulnerability arises because these species often have a number of correlated sexual, behavioural, life history and ecological traits, which can have a simple genetic underpinning. When exacerbated by environmental change, these alternate strategies can lead to conflict between morphs at the genomic and population levels, which can directly or indirectly affect population and evolutionary dynamics. In this perspective, we identify a number of ways in which the nature of the correlated traits, their underpinning genetic architecture, and the inevitable interactions between colour morphs can result in a reduction in population fitness. The principles illustrated here apply to all kinds of discrete polymorphism (e.g. behavioural syndromes), but we focus primarily on colour polymorphism because they are well studied. We urge further empirical investigation of the genetic architecture and interactions in polymorphic species to elucidate the impact on population fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peri E Bolton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Lee A Rollins
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic., 3217, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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32
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Halliday W, Paterson J, Patterson L, Cooke S, Blouin-Demers G. Testosterone, body size, and sexual signals predict parasite load in Yarrow’s Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii). CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2014-0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Parasite load significantly impacts host health and fitness and may vary substantially among individuals within a population. The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis posits that sexual signals are honest indicators of male quality because they are maintained by testosterone, an immunosuppressant that yields higher parasite loads. Additionally, testosterone may influence parasite load by increasing activity levels. We examined these two hypotheses in a wild population of Yarrow’s Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii Cope, 1875) in Arizona. We (i) compared fecal testosterone levels to ectoparasite and haemoparasite loads, (ii) tested if sexual signals (total coloured area, aggression, and head size), locomotor activity, and body size correlated with testosterone levels, and (iii) compared sexual signals, locomotor activity, and body size to parasite load. Ectoparasite loads increased with total coloured area and tended to increase with testosterone, but this latter relationship was only nearly significant. Parasite loads increased with body size. Thus, we found some support for the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis and none for the activity hypothesis. Our results are consistent with an alternative hypothesis that larger individuals have more parasites because they have more surface area and (or) have had longer to accumulate parasites. Future studies should examine the relative contributions of testosterone and glucocorticoids in driving variation in parasite loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- W.D. Halliday
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - J.E. Paterson
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - L.D. Patterson
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - S.J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - G. Blouin-Demers
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
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Jorge F, Perera A, Roca V, Carretero MA, Harris DJ, Poulin R. Evolution of alternative male morphotypes in oxyurid nematodes: a case of convergence? J Evol Biol 2014; 27:1631-43. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- F. Jorge
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia; Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto; Porto Portugal
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
| | - A. Perera
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - V. Roca
- Departament de Zoologia; Facultat de Ciències Biològiques; Universitat de València; València Spain
| | - M. A. Carretero
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - D. J. Harris
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - R. Poulin
- Department of Zoology; University of Otago; Dunedin New Zealand
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Bastiaans E, Bastiaans MJ, Morinaga G, Castañeda Gaytán JG, Marshall JC, Bane B, de la Cruz FM, Sinervo B. Female preference for sympatric vs. allopatric male throat color morphs in the mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) species complex. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93197. [PMID: 24718297 PMCID: PMC3981705 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Color polymorphic sexual signals are often associated with alternative reproductive behaviors within populations, and the number, frequency, or type of morphs present often vary among populations. When these differences lead to assortative mating by population, the study of such polymorphic taxa may shed light on speciation mechanisms. We studied two populations of a lizard with polymorphic throat color, an important sexual signal. Males in one population exhibit orange, yellow, or blue throats; whereas males in the other exhibit orange, yellow, or white throats. We assessed female behavior when choosing between allopatric and sympatric males. We asked whether females discriminated more when the allopatric male was of an unfamiliar morph than when the allopatric male was similar in coloration to the sympatric male. We found that female rejection of allopatric males relative to sympatric males was more pronounced when males in a pair were more different in throat color. Our findings may help illuminate how behavioral responses to color morph differences between populations with polymorphic sexual signals contribute to reproductive isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Bastiaans
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Mary Jane Bastiaans
- Nanooptical Materials, Incorporated, Carson, California, United States of America
| | - Gen Morinaga
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | | | - Jonathon C. Marshall
- Department of Zoology, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, United States of America
| | - Brendan Bane
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Fausto Méndez de la Cruz
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Barry Sinervo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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McLean CA, Stuart-Fox D. Geographic variation in animal colour polymorphisms and its role in speciation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 89:860-73. [PMID: 24528520 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2012] [Revised: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphic species, in which multiple variants coexist within a population, are often used as model systems in evolutionary biology. Recent research has been dominated by the hypothesis that polymorphism can be a precursor to speciation. To date, the majority of research regarding polymorphism and speciation has focused on whether polymorphism is maintained within a population or whether morphs within populations may diverge to form separate species (sympatric speciation); however, the geographical context of speciation in polymorphic systems is likely to be both diverse and complex. In this review, we draw attention to the geographic variation in morph composition and frequencies that characterises many, if not most polymorphic species. Recent theoretical and empirical developments suggest that such variation in the number, type and frequency of morphs present among populations can increase the probability of speciation. Thus, the geographical context of a polymorphism requires a greater research focus. Here, we review the prevalence, causes and evolutionary consequences of geographic variation in polymorphism in colour-polymorphic animal species. The prevalence and nature of geographic variation in polymorphism suggests that polymorphism may be a precursor to and facilitate speciation more commonly than appreciated previously. We argue that a better understanding of the processes generating geographic variation in polymorphism is vital to understanding how polymorphism can promote speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire A McLean
- Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Sciences Department, Museum Victoria, Carlton Gardens, Victoria, 3053, Australia
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