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Scali S, Sacchi R, Gozzo E, Chiesa S, Coladonato AJ, Zuffi MAL, Mangiacotti M. The size of a smell: assessment of rival’s relative size from femoral secretions in the common wall lizards, Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768). Behav Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animal communication depends on signals conveying information to a receiver who must perceive and decode them. Signals involved in territoriality are usually complex stimuli that should be correctly interpreted to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Lacertids use both visual and chemical stimuli in modulating their aggressive response against conspecifics and the rival’s size is one of the most important information, affecting the success probability in combat. To assess the actual ability of decoding information about a rival’s size based on its chemical stimulus alone, 60 males of Podarcis muralis were tested for three consecutive days in an arena bearing a mirror (to simulate an equal-sized intruder), and the chemical cues (femoral secretions) from an unknown individual of different size. Significant differences were observed in tongue-flicks number, which grew as the size difference between the focal lizard and the secretion donor decreased. This can be interpreted as the need for the lizard to better evaluate the potential competitor’s characteristics. The size difference also affected the number of bites against the mirror. They increased when the size of the focal lizard was larger than the donor triggering the aggressive response with a higher probability of winning the contest. This confirms that the focal lizard had correctly decoded the information about the opponent’s size by chemical stimulus. Although previous studies have shown that some components of the chemical signals are potentially informative about the signaler’s size, this is the first demonstration that male P. muralis is actually able to decode and use such information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Scali
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano , Corso Venezia 55, I-20121 Milano , Italy
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell’Ambiente, Università di Pavia , Viale Torquato Taramelli 24, I-27100, Pavia , Italy
| | - Elisabetta Gozzo
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano , Corso Venezia 55, I-20121 Milano , Italy
| | - Stefano Chiesa
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano , Corso Venezia 55, I-20121 Milano , Italy
| | - Alan J Coladonato
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell’Ambiente, Università di Pavia , Viale Torquato Taramelli 24, I-27100, Pavia , Italy
| | - Marco A L Zuffi
- Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pisa , Via Roma 79 , I-56011 Calci, PI , Italy
| | - Marco Mangiacotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell’Ambiente, Università di Pavia , Viale Torquato Taramelli 24, I-27100, Pavia , Italy
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Witz BW, Mushinsky HR. Pygidial secretions ofPasimachus subsulcatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) deter predation byEumeces inexpectatus (Squamata: Scincidae). J Chem Ecol 2013; 15:1033-44. [PMID: 24271904 DOI: 10.1007/bf01015197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The carabid beetlePasimachus subsulcatus is an abundant ground-dwelling insect in west central Florida that exudes a powerful mucous membrane irritant when disturbed. This secretion can be sprayed over 10 cm from the abdominal tip. The southeastern five-lined skink,Eumeces inexpectatus, is an abundant insectivorous lizard sympatric withPasimachus. We assessed the availability ofPasimachus toEumeces and found it to be within the foraging microenvironment of the lizard. Analysis ofEumeces gut contents and field feeding trials indicate thatPasimachus are not ingested by the lizard, yet arthropods of comparable size and exoskeletal thickness are ingested. The movement response ofEumeces to isolatedPasimachus secretion constituents, conducted in a modified Y-maze laboratory experiment, was used to assess the repellent capabilities of the secretion.Eumeces are consistently repelled byPasimachus secretion constituents, indicating that the beetle is protected chemically from the lizard.
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Affiliation(s)
- B W Witz
- Department of Biology, University of South Florida, 33620, Tampa, Florida
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Cooper WE. Prey Odor Discrimination in the Varanoid Lizards Heloderma suspectum and Varanus exanthematicus. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1989.tb00770.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [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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Heliotherms in tropical rain forest: the ecology of Kentropyx calcarata (Teiidae) and Mabuya nigropunctata (Scincidae) in the Curuá-Una of Brazil. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467400010415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACTKentropyx calcarata (Teiidae) and Mabuya nigropunctata (Scincidae) occur together in lowland tropical forest of the Amazon near the Rio Curuá-Una of Brazil. During the wet season of 1995 these lizards were common at forest edge along narrow roads that transect forest, in treefalls and along streams where sun reaches the ground. Both species are heliothermic, basking to gain heat. Their association with open patches results from high activity temperature requirements in an environment where sun availability is low. Null temperature distributions from forest and treefalls showed that forest does not offer opportunities for heat gain similar to treefalls. Moreover, the large proportion of time spent basking by both species indicates the importance of these patches for thermoregulation. K. calcarata is slightly larger in body length and heavier at a given body length than M. nigropunctata. Both species are active foragers that seek out prey while moving through the habitat, feeding on orthopterans, roaches and spiders. M. nigropunctata also eat significant numbers of insects that occur on vegetation, such as hemipterans. Prey size is larger in K. calcarata and associated with lizard body size. Prey size does not vary with body size in M. nigropunctata and prey are typically relatively small.Many of the ecological differences between these two lowland forest species appear to be historical: the ecology of K. calcarata is very similar to that of other species of Kentropyx and teiids in general and the ecology of M. nigropunctata is most similar to that of other studied species of south American Mabuya.
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Barbosa D, Font E, Desfilis E, Carretero MA. Chemically Mediated Species Recognition in Closely Related Podarcis Wall Lizards. J Chem Ecol 2006; 32:1587-98. [PMID: 16718555 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-006-9072-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2005] [Revised: 01/30/2006] [Accepted: 02/17/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
In many animals, chemical signals play an important role in species recognition and may contribute to reproductive isolation and speciation. The Iberian lizards of the genus Podarcis, with up to nine currently recognized lineages that are often sympatric, are highly chemosensory and provide an excellent model for the study of chemically mediated species recognition in closely related taxa. In this study, we tested the ability of male and female lizards of two sister species with widely overlapping distribution ranges (Podarcis bocagei and P. hispanica type 1) to discriminate between conspecific and heterospecific mates by using only substrate-borne chemical cues. We scored the number of tongue flicks directed at the paper substrate by each individual in a terrarium previously occupied by a conspecific or a heterospecific lizard of the opposite sex. Results show that males of P. bocagei and P. hispanica type 1 are capable of discriminating chemically between conspecifics and heterospecifics of the opposite sex, but females are not. These results suggest that differences in female, but not male, chemical cues may underlie species recognition and contribute to reproductive isolation in these species. The apparent inability of females to discriminate conspecific from heterospecific males, which is not because of reduced baseline exploration rates, is discussed in the context of sexual selection theory and species discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Barbosa
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universidad de Valencia, Spain.
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Font E, Desfilis E. Chemosensory Recognition of Familiar and Unfamiliar Conspecifics by Juveniles of the Iberian Wall Lizard Podarcis hispanica. Ethology 2002. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0310.2002.00782.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Cooper WE, DePerno CS, Fox SF. Prey chemical discrimination and strike-induced chemosensory searching in lizards: Their absence in a crotaphytid lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) and a proposal for research in zoos. Zoo Biol 1996. [DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2361(1996)15:3<239::aid-zoo4>3.0.co;2-c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Strike-induced chemosensory searching is absent in the cordylid lizard,Cordylus cordylus, a scleroglossan ambush forager. CHEMOECOLOGY 1994. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01259973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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DePerno CS, Cooper WE. Prey chemical discrimination and strike-induced chemosensory searching in the lizardLiolaemus zapallarensis. CHEMOECOLOGY 1993. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01241678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Cooper WE. Strike-induced chemosensory searching by a teiid lizard, the golden tegu (Tupinambis nigropunctatus). CHEMOECOLOGY 1993. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01241677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Cooper WE. Duration of poststrike elevation in tongue-flicking rate in the savannah monitor lizard,Varanus exanthematicus. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 1993. [DOI: 10.1080/08927014.1993.9523112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Cooper WE. Elevation in tongue-flick rate after biting prey in the broad-headed skink,Eumeces laticeps. J Chem Ecol 1992; 18:455-67. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00994244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/1991] [Accepted: 11/06/1991] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Discrimination of integumentary prey chemicals and strike-induced chemosensory searching in the ball python,Python regius. J ETHOL 1991. [DOI: 10.1007/bf02350292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Burger J. Response to prey chemical cues by hatchling pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus): Effects of incubation temperature and experience. J Chem Ecol 1991; 17:1069-78. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01402934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/1990] [Accepted: 02/04/1991] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Responses to prey chemicals by a lacertid lizard,Podarcis muralis: Prey chemical discrimination and poststrike elevation in tongue-flick rate. J Chem Ecol 1991; 17:849-63. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01395595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/1990] [Accepted: 01/14/1991] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Effect of experience with pine (Pituophis melanoleucus) and king (Lampropeltis getulus) snake odors on Y-maze behavior of pine snake hatchlings. J Chem Ecol 1991; 17:79-87. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00994423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/1990] [Accepted: 08/20/1990] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Cooper WE, Buth DG, Vitt LJ. Prey odor discrimination by ingestively naive coachwhip snakes(Masticophis flagellum). CHEMOECOLOGY 1990. [DOI: 10.1007/bf01241648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Cooper WE. Chemical detection of predators by a lizard, the broad-headed skink (Eumeces laticeps). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1990. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402560206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Damme RV, Bauwens D, Vanderstighelen D, Verheyen RF. Responses of the lizard Lacerta vivipara to predator chemical cues: the effects of temperature. Anim Behav 1990. [DOI: 10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80924-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Cooper WE, Vitt LJ. Prey odor discrimination by the broad-headed skink (Eumeces laticeps). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1989. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402490104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Cooper WE, Grastka WR. Lingual responces to chemical fractions of urodaeal glandular pheromone to the skinkEumeces laticeps. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1987. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402420302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Cooper WE, Garstka WR. Discrimination of male conspecific from male heterospecific odors by male scincid lizards (Eumeces laticeps). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1987. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402410212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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