SREL Reprint #1873

Structure and use of male territorial headbob signals by the lizard Anolis carolinensis

Kristi R. Decourcy and Thomas A. Jenssen

Biology Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA

Abstract: Anolis carolinensis was found to have three stereotyped and distinct headbob patterns, referred to as types A, B and C. Each type had two variants, one in which the dewlap appeared mid-display, and a second in which dewlap extension was absent. Display types A, B and C comprised all of the headbob signalling during two contexts: (1) the advertisement context, when males were isolated (male-alone); and (2) the aggressive context, when each male was paired (male-male) during territorial contests. During the advertisement context, the mean display rate was 0·3/min; half of the displays were performed singly, the rest in bursts (volleys) of two to six displays/volley. Dewlap extension accompanied 97% of the displays, and all three types of displays were used with similar frequency. During the male-male context, mean display rate varied inversely with inter-male separation distance, being 1·4, 2·0 and 3·8/min at distances greater than 100 cm, within 20-100 cm and less than 20 cm. respectively. At large inter-male separation distances (> 60 cm), long volleys (containing four to nine displays) were common, type C displays predominated, and dewlap extension accompanied 92% of the displays. At short inter-male separation distances (< 20 cm), single displays predominated, the volleys performed had fewer displays, display types A, B and C were performed with similar frequency, and only 7% of the displays had dewlap extension. These results are compared with previously published descriptions of male A. carolinensis headbob display behaviour. Recommendations are made for the abandonment of functional labels on patterns of display behaviour (e.g. assertion display and challenge display), regardless of taxon studied.

SREL Reprint #1873

DeCourcy, K.R. and T.A. Jenssen. 1994. Structure and use of male territorial headbob signals by the lizard, Anolis carolinensis. Animal Behavior 47:251-262. 

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).