Behavioral, temporal, and spatial relationships in free-ranging female Anolis carolinensis (Sauria: Polychridae)
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Abstract
The behavior and spatial relationships of 7 male and 22 females were described from 56 days of observation from focal and scan samples made between 0830 and 1830 h during May-July, 1993 at the Augusta Canal near Augusta, Georgia. Behavioral observations indicated that females primarily remain stationary (82.6%), while dividing the remainder of their time into travelling (7.7%), overt foraging (1.5%), and social interactions (8.2%). Though territorial, inter-female contacts were rare (0.3%) with more of a female’s time spent interacting with the resident male (3.2%) or in copula (3.9%). Females used three methods to capture prey: (1) sit-and-wait (84%), (2) opportunistic prey captures (11%), and (3) active search (5%). Dewlap extension is primarily used during aggressive interactions with females (60%), but rarely during courtship (2%) or copula (7%). Predation pressure was minimal as only four predator avoidances were observed.
Home range volume and area for males averaged 68.5 m³ and 50.5 m², respectively. For females, home range volume and area were considerable smaller than males, averaging 7.8 m³ and 8.2 m², respectively. Intra-sexual overlap averaged 0% for males and 18% for females. Male snout-vent length (SVL) was positively correlated with male home range area and number of females overlapped. Female SVL did not correlate with either volume or area of territory. However, within a male’s territory, the largest female usually controlled the largest home range volume, perched highest, and maintained a green body color most often. Females tended to perch on smaller diameter limbs and to perch higher than males.