Abstract
The whiptail lizard Aspidoscelis uniparens searches for fossorial prey using a series of moves and pauses punctuated by bouts of digging. We examined the effect of predation risk on foraging A. uniparens in outdoor enclosures, observing their behavior in the presence and absence of the predatory lizard Gambelia wislizenii. Predator presence led to changes in activity patterns and foraging behavior. When predators were present, A. uniparens reduced both the proportion of time active and time moving, shifted activity periods, reduced their movement rate, and changed the duration of moves. There were no apparent changes in digging effort, but the likelihood of successfully digging for food decreased when a predator was present.
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Acknowledgments
We thank T. Butler, J. Jones, E. van Manen, P. Bakhteiarov, S. Gowthan, J. Watters, M. Gilliland, and C. Theodoris for assistance with the fieldwork. Two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments on the manuscript. Support was provided by EarthWatch, the Durfee Foundation, and the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of Natural History. M. Eifler was supported by NIH grants no. 29552–3. This research complied with applicable laws and permits of the United States of America.
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Eifler, D.A., Eifler, M.A. & Harris, B.R. Foraging under the risk of predation in desert grassland whiptail lizards (Aspidoscelis uniparens). J Ethol 26, 219–223 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-007-0053-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-007-0053-0