Skip to main content
Log in

First experimental evidence that proteins from femoral glands convey identity-related information in a lizard

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
acta ethologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Transferring identity-related information (IRI) to conspecifics may give advantage in effectively tuning intraspecific behaviour. Some lizard species use the secretions of specialized epidermal glands (femoral or cloacal) to convey IRI. Those secretions are made of lipids and proteins, the former been suggested to inform about signaller quality, the latter suspected to communicate IRI to conspecifics. Here, we tested the hypothesis that proteins broadcast IRI by analysing the movement patterns of 28 male common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) under strictly controlled experimental conditions. Lizards were videotaped in plastic terraria where the substrate scent was manipulated by filling it with a solution bearing (i) the proteins extracted from the secretions of the tested lizard (SELF); (ii) the proteins from a never-met donor from other nearby populations (NON-SELF); and (iii) the solvent alone. Lizards showed higher behavioural response to the NON-SELF treatment with respect to both CTRL and SELF ones. Further, protein concentration did not affect behavioural response, suggesting an all-or-nothing effect. Both results agree with the hypothesis that proteins may be used in chemical communication and convey IRI, demonstrating for the first time that they can be used as intraspecific signal.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Acknowledgments

The study was performed in accordance with the European and Italian laws on animal use in scientific research (Aut. Prot. PNM-2015-0010423, PNM-2016-0002154). This research is part of the PhD project of MM, funded by the FRG_2016 (Ministry of Education, University and Research - MIUR) to Roberto Sacchi. We thank Marco Fumagalli, Riccardo Montagna, Stefano Pezzi, and Lorenzo Balestrazzi for their help in the lab work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco Mangiacotti.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mangiacotti, M., Gaggiani, S., Coladonato, A.J. et al. First experimental evidence that proteins from femoral glands convey identity-related information in a lizard. acta ethol 22, 57–65 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-018-00307-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-018-00307-1

Keywords

Navigation