Ultraviolet signals fighting ability in a lizard.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Stapley J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC1618919 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Ultraviolet signals fighting ability in a lizard.
Stapley Jessica J Whiting Martin J MJ
Biology letters 20060601 2
Ultraviolet (UV) signals are used in female mate choice in numerous taxa; however, the role of UV signals in male contests remains relatively unexplored. We experimentally reduced throat UV of free-ranging lizards (Platysaurus broadleyi) to test whether UV acts as a signal of fighting ability during male contests. We found that UV-reduced males were more likely to be challenged than control males. However, contest outcome was not influenced by UV-reduction, and this was despite other obvious asy ...[more]
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