Dewlap size in male water anoles associates with consistent inter-individual variation in boldness.

ABSTRACT: Male sexually selected signals can indicate competitive ability by honestly signaling fitness-relevant traits such as condition or performance. However, behavior can also influence contest outcomes; in particular, boldness often predicts dominance rank and mating success. Here, we sought to determine whether male ornament size is associated with consistent individual differences in boldness in water anoles Anolis aquaticus. We measured the relative size of the dewlap, a flap of skin under the chin that is a sexually selected ornament in Anolis lizards, and tested for associations with responses to a novel and potentially risky environment: time to emerge from a refuge into an arena and number of head scans post-emergence. We found that individuals consistently differed in both time to emer

SUBMITTER: Putman BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6430965 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature