EFFECTS OF TAIL LOSS ON THE TIME-BUDGETS, MOVEMENTS, AND SPACING PATTERNS OF IBERIAN ROCK LIZARDS, LACERTA MONTICOLA

Many lizards use caudal autotomy as an antipredatory strategy. We experimentally examined the effect of tail loss on the time-budgets, movement patterns, and home range size of the Iberian rock lizard Lacerta monticola in the field during the mating season. Our results indicate that tail loss did not alter most variables in male and female time-budgets but did affect the time spent moving and movement patterns of males. Tailless males spent less time moving and, when moving, more time on rocks, with shorter movements, more pauses, and less time on bushes than did tailed ones. Home range size was smaller in tailless males but did not differ between tailed and tailless females. The results suggest that tailless males may compensate the survival cost of autotomy by modifying their use of space and time; as a result, however, they may incur lower access to females.

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