Defensive behaviors and microhabitat use of Tropidurus catalanensis (Squamata, Tropiduridae): body sizes and habitat openness / vegetation cover affect prediction of risk and flight distances

Author(s)

Maia-Carneiro, Thiago ^[1] ; Langie-Santos, Simone ^[1] ; Navas, Carlos A. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Fisiol, Rua Matao 321, Travessa 14, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: North-Western Journal of Zoology; v. 17, n. 2, p. 204-211, DEC 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

We investigated microhabitat use and defensive behaviors of Tropidurus catalanensis, adding information to these practically unknown regards. For each individual caught after visual encounter, we recorded snout-vent length, body mass, substrate and body temperatures, distance from vegetation, distance from a shelter, types of shelter, substrates occupied before and after escaping, flight initiation distance (distance between predator and prey when escaping starts), distance fled (distance ran for escaping), and final flight distance (flight initiation distance plus distance fled). Lizards remained motionless after perceiving the presence of the potential predator trying to keep cryptic and less detectable and monitoring the attacker movements. Longer and heavier individuals tended to run longer distances to avoid threats because were most noticeable and easily detected due to the conspicuousness of their body sizes. During the same period, larger lizards, being faster, were capable to run longer distances than smaller ones. The final flight distance tended to increase as the flight initiation distance and the distances fled increased, allowing to achieve adequate margins of safety. Both before and after fleeing, T. catalanensis used mainly rocks. Differences in their prediction of risk made lizards stop closer to woody shelters, and further from the sand, running longer distances to escape. Individuals also may have shown longer distance fled on sand because were less camouflaged there than on rocks. Predictions of risk and fear of lizards increased according to body size and distance from safe places covered by vegetation and near shelters due to microhabitat openness, affecting defensive behaviors of immobility and escape. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/23599-3 - Physiological and behavioral responses of lizards to changes in food quality and in thermal environments: an approach of the Conservation Physiology in front to the global climate change
• Grantee: Thiago Maia Ney Carneiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/16320-7 - Impacts of climate/environmental change on the fauna: an integrative approach
• Grantee: Carlos Arturo Navas Iannini
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants