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HOW THE SELECTION AND STRUCTURE OF PERCHES AFFECT PATH CHOICE AND THE LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR OF FOUR ECOMORPHS OF ANOLIS LIZARDS

MATTINGLY, WILLIAM BRETT

Abstract Details

2003, MS, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences : Biological Sciences.
Laboratory studies have frequently determined the maximal running speeds of lizards. However, neither the extent to which animals use maximal speeds in nature nor the effects of arboreal habitat structure on undisturbed locomotion have been well documented. Thus, I quantified available habitat, perch use, and the undisturbed locomotor behavior of four Anolis lizard species (A. sagrei, A. carolinensis, A. angusticeps, and A. distichus). Narrow, short, and steep perches dominated the study site. The selection of all perch attributes (diameter, length, and incline) was biased for A. distichus, whereas each of the remaining species randomly used at least one perch attribute. Narrow breadth of resource use most often reflected the narrow breadth of available resources rather than selective use of resources. The undisturbed speeds and movement distances of all species were exceedingly slow and short, suggesting that neither maximal sprinting speeds nor endurance capacities were taxed frequently in the field. Furthermore, the effects of habitat structure on undisturbed locomotor speeds and movement distances were highly species-specific. The escape responses of animals frequently involve choosing between alternative paths. Because many attributes of habitat structure can influence locomotor performance, path choice may affect the ability of an animal to evade predators. In arboreal habitats, discontinuous networks of perches create discrete paths, and many perch attributes have predictable consequences for arboreal locomotion. Thus, to determine whether paths are randomly chosen and to assess trade-offs between the speed and maneuverability of arboreal locomotion, I quantified path choice and the escape locomotor behavior of the four Anolis species. I chased lizards across the branching points of perches in the field and on standardized artificial perches in the laboratory. Despite interspecific differences in microhabitat preferences, most individuals of all species chose perches with the largest available diameter and the straightest interperch angle in the field trials. In laboratory trials, most individuals traveled on a 4.8-cm diameter perch with a 45°( turning angle rather than choosing a straight path with a 1.0-cm diameter. Both field and laboratory data suggest that Anolis species usually choose escape paths to optimize the speed of escape locomotion.
Dr. Bruce C. Jayne (Advisor)
115 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • MATTINGLY, W. B. (2003). HOW THE SELECTION AND STRUCTURE OF PERCHES AFFECT PATH CHOICE AND THE LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR OF FOUR ECOMORPHS OF ANOLIS LIZARDS [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1060952855

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • MATTINGLY, WILLIAM. HOW THE SELECTION AND STRUCTURE OF PERCHES AFFECT PATH CHOICE AND THE LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR OF FOUR ECOMORPHS OF ANOLIS LIZARDS. 2003. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1060952855.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • MATTINGLY, WILLIAM. "HOW THE SELECTION AND STRUCTURE OF PERCHES AFFECT PATH CHOICE AND THE LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR OF FOUR ECOMORPHS OF ANOLIS LIZARDS." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1060952855

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)