Ectoparasite Load Generates Habitat-specific Variation in Colour Badge Intensity and Badge Size in Male Lizards
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-2-2024
Publication Title
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
DOI
10.1093/biolinnean/blad169
Abstract
The severity of parasitic infections can mediate the differential expression of signals among populations, creating variation in signal intensity. Male signals (patch size and brightness) were quantified in Florida scrub lizards (Sceloporus woodi) from populations that vary in ectoparasite load. Males without mites were caught before breeding and exhibited different correlations among body size, patch size, and brightness. Males with ectoparasites (range = 1–368) were captured throughout the breeding season and showed a habitat-dependent pattern of how ectoparasite load, body size, and body condition were correlated with badge characteristics. In the sand pine scrub habitat, large males in good condition that were heavily parasitized had the largest badges. There was no relationship between body size or ectoparasite load and badge darkness. Lizards from longleaf pine habitat shared only one pattern, i.e. larger males had larger badges, yet there were several key differences. Body condition and ectoparasite load were unrelated to badge size, and the most heavily parasitized males had the brightest, not darkest, badges. Instead, males with moderate and low parasite loads had the darkest abdomens, and those with low parasite loads had the darkest throats. Thus, parasite load and body condition have habitat-dependent effects on badge characteristics.
Recommended Citation
Roberts, Katherine M., Eric McElroy, Lance D. McBrayer.
2024.
"Ectoparasite Load Generates Habitat-specific Variation in Colour Badge Intensity and Badge Size in Male Lizards."
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society: Oxford University Press.
doi: 10.1093/biolinnean/blad169
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/biology-facpubs/264
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Linnean Society of London. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Comments
Georgia Southern University faculty member, Lance D McBrayer co-authored Ectoparasite Load Generates Habitat-specific Variation in Colour Badge Intensity and Badge Size in Male Lizards.