Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Age and Season Affect Chemical Discrimination of Liolaemus bellii Own Space

  • Published:
Journal of Chemical Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We explored chemical discrimination of own vs. novel space by different age classes (neonates, juveniles, and adults) of the lizard Liolaemus bellii, during pre- and post-hibernation seasons. We recorded the number of tongue flicks (TF) lizards produced during 10 min in their own or a novel enclosure. Age class and season affected chemical discrimination. Only adults and neonates discriminated their own space, albeit using different strategies: while adults made fewer TF in their own enclosure, neonates made more TF in their own enclosure. This difference was interpreted in terms of different requirements for discrimination of individuals during their lives. Increased chemical exploration by juveniles and adults at the onset of the post-hibernation season was associated with food-searching and reproductive behaviors.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Cooper, W. E. Jr. 1994. Chemical discrimination by tongue-flicking in lizards: A review with hypotheses on its origin and its ecological and phylogenetic relationships. J. Chem. Ecol. 20:439–487.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donoso-Barros, R. 1966. Reptiles de Chile, Univ. de Chile, Santiago de Chile.

    Google Scholar 

  • Font, E. and Desfilis, E. 2002. Chemosensory recognition of familiar and novel-unused conspecifics by juveniles of the Iberian wall lizard, Podarcis hispanica. Ethology. 108:1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, S. F. and Shipman, P. A. 2003. Social behavior at high and low elevations: Environmental release and phylogenetic effects in Liolaemus, pp. 310–355, in Lizard Social Behavior. S. F. Fox, J. K. McCoy, and T. A. Baird (eds). John Hopkins University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, P. T. 1982. Reptilian hibernation, pp. 53–154, in Biology of Reptilia, Physiology. D. Physiological Ecology. C. Gans and F. H. Pough (eds). Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Labra, A., Beltrán, S., and Niemeyer, H. M. 2001. Chemical exploratory behavior in the lizard Liolaemus bellii. J. Herpetol. 35:51–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leyton, V. and Valencia, J. 1992. Follicular population dynamics: Its relation to clutch and litter size in Chilean Liolaemus lizards, pp. 177–199, in Reproductive Biology of South American Vertebrates. W. C. Hamlett (ed). Springer-Verlag Inc., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyatt, T. D. 2003. Pheromones and Animal Behaviour. Communication by Smell and Taste. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile

    Antonieta Labra, Soledad Cortez & Hermann M. Niemeyer

Authors
  1. Antonieta Labra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Soledad Cortez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hermann M. Niemeyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonieta Labra.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Labra, A., Cortez, S. & Niemeyer, H.M. Age and Season Affect Chemical Discrimination of Liolaemus bellii Own Space. J Chem Ecol 29, 2615–2620 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026359402656

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026359402656

Search

Navigation