Chemical signal diversity in male sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) along an urbanization gradient.

ABSTRACT: Urban areas have globally expanded recently and will likely continue to do so in the near future. Although the impact of urbanization on acoustic and visual sexual signals has received considerable attention, other aspects, such as its influence on chemical signaling, remain poorly studied. Many lizard species possess femoral glands, i.e. prominent epidermal glands on the underside of the thighs producing a wide variety of compounds used in chemical signaling. Here we assessed the effect of urban, suburban and rural habitats and individual body condition on variation of chemical signal composition in the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis). By using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, we characterized chemical compounds present in secretions of lizard femoral glands. We found that

SUBMITTER: Ibanez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11865607 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature