Lizard movement tracks: variation in path re-use behaviour is consistent with a scent-marking function.

ABSTRACT: Individual movement influences the spatial and social structuring of a population. Animals regularly use the same paths to move efficiently to familiar places, or to patrol and mark home ranges. We found that Australian sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa), a monogamous species with stable pair-bonds, repeatedly used the same paths within their home ranges and investigated whether path re-use functions as a scent-marking behaviour, or whether it is influenced by site familiarity. Lizards can leave scent trails on the substrate when moving through the environment and have a well-developed vomeronasal system to detect and respond to those scents. Path re-use would allow sleepy lizards to concentrate scent marks along these well-used trails, advertising their presence. Hypotheses of mate attractio

SUBMITTER: Leu ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4806635 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature