IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • 23(2):90–92 • AUG 2016 Notable Change in Body Color During Copulation in the Scaly-backed Anole, Anolis notopholis (Squamata: Dactyloidea), from Western Colombia Iván Camilo Beltrán, Pablo Palacios Rodríguez, Daniel Mejía, and Adolfo Amézquita Grupo de Ecofisiología, Comportamiento y Herpetología, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, A.A. 4976 ([email protected]) Photographs by Pablo Palacios Rodríguez. 90 IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS CONSERVATION AND NATURAL HISTORY Copyright © 2016. Iván Camilo Beltrán. All rights reserved. WWW.IRCF.ORG/REPTILESANDAMPHIBIANSJOURNAL C hanges in lizard coloration have been extensively studied during agonistic interactions (e.g., Greenberg and Noble 1944; Greenberg and Crews 1990; Summers and Greenberg 1994), but rarely in the context of sexual interactions. Herein we report a field observation of mating behavior in Anolis notopholis (Boulenger 1896) (Squamata: Dactyloidae), a mainland species that inhabits the Pacific lowlands of Colombia (Fig. 1). The species occupies the lower strata of the forest associated with herbaceous vegetation (van den Elzen and Schuchmann 1986). We conducted fieldwork from 30 August to 15 September 2015 in an old growth tropical humid forest (sensu Holdridge 1987) near La Victoria, municipality of Cantón de San Pablo, department of Chocó, Colombia (05º30’37”N, 76º52’42.4”W, 264 m asl). We recorded and photographed copulatory and postcopulatory behavior of A. notopholis using a Nikon Coolpix p530 camera. The approximate distance between the observer and the focal animals was about 8 m. The pair was on the leaf litter. When we first observed the lizards, the male was beside the female, biting her back, and showing dark gray lateral coloration. The female had a similar gray coloration and was exhibiting abrupt lateral head movements (Fig. 2A). About 6 min later, the gray coloration of the male disappeared while the female continued bobbing her head (Fig. 2B). The copulation lasted for approximately 46 min; 5 min before the end, the male recovered his dark coloration while the female intensified her head-bobbing (Fig. 2C). The male then released the female and moved away. Subsequently, for another 10 min, we observed head-bobbing and dewlap extension in the male (Fig. 2D). In lizards, several hormones are known to control the movement of melanin granules within melanophores, causing contraction or expansion and thereby darkening or lightening the body color (e.g., Cooper and Greenberg 1992). In the observation recorded here, the color of the male A. notopholis changed from dark gray to light green in 6 min (Fig. 2A–B). At the end of the copulation, the change from light green to gray took approximately 3 min (Fig. 2C); however, this change was less intense than that observed at the beginning of copulation. In the few species for which reports exist, the duration of copulation in Anolis generally ranges from 10 to 30 min (e.g., Jenssen et al. 1995; Tokarz 1999). Interestingly, copu- lation of A. notopholis described herein took about 46 min. Although this could be a unique and interesting feature of the species, we cannot eliminate the possible disturbance effect of observers on copulation duration. Alternatively, most studies describing copulation of anoles are conducted in the laboratory, and copulations might well last longer in the field (Alfonso et al. 2014). Additional data are necessary to dis- criminate between these hypotheses. Literature Cited Alfonso, Y.U., V. Holanova., and K.L. Krysko. 2014. Copulation and oviposition in the green-blotched giant anole Anolis smallwoodi (Squamata: Dactyloidea), from southeastern Cuba. Reptiles & Amphibians 21: 108–115. Cooper, W.E., Jr. and N. Greenberg. 1992. Reptilian coloration and behavior, pp. 298–422. In: C. Gans and D. Crews (eds.), Biology of the Reptilia. Volume 18, Physiology E. Hormones, Brain, and Behavior. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. Greenberg, N. and D. Crews. 1990. Endocrine and behavioral responses to aggres- sion and social dominance in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis. General and Comparative Endocrinology 77: 246–255. Greenberg, N. and G. Noble. 1944. Social behavior of the American Chameleon (Anolis carolinensis Voigt). Physiological Zoology 17: 392–439. Holdridge, L.R. 1987. Ecología Basada en Zonas de Vida. Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura, San José, Costa Rica.
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IRCFREPTILES&HIBIANS•23(2):90–92•AUG2016
Notable Change in Body Color During Copulation in the Scaly-backed Anole,
Anolis notopholis (Squamata: Dactyloidea), from Western Colombia
Iván Camilo Beltrán, Pablo Palacios Rodríguez, Daniel Mejía, and Adolfo Amézquita
GrupodeEcofisiología,ComportamientoyHerpetología,DepartamentodeCienciasBiológicas,UniversidaddelosAndes,Bogotá,Colombia,A.A.4976 ([email protected])
PhotographsbyPabloPalaciosRodríguez.
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IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • VOL15, NO 4 • DEC 2008 189TABLE OF CONTENTS
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E S
Chasing Bullsnakes (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in Wisconsin: On the Road to Understanding the Ecology and Conservation of the Midwest’s Giant Serpent ...................... Joshua M. Kapfer 190
The Shared History of Treeboas (Corallus grenadensis) and Humans on Grenada: A Hypothetical Excursion ............................................................................................................................Robert W. Henderson 198
R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E S
The Texas Horned Lizard in Central and Western Texas ....................... Emily Henry, Jason Brewer, Krista Mougey, and Gad Perry 204 The Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida
.............................................Brian J. Camposano, Kenneth L. Krysko, Kevin M. Enge, Ellen M. Donlan, and Michael Granatosky 212
C O N S E R V A T I O N A L E R T
World’s Mammals in Crisis ............................................................................................................................................................. 220 More Than Mammals ...................................................................................................................................................................... 223 The “Dow Jones Index” of Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................................... 225
H U S B A N D R Y
Captive Care of the Central Netted Dragon ....................................................................................................... Shannon Plummer 226
P R O F I L E
Kraig Adler: A Lifetime Promoting Herpetology ................................................................................................ Michael L. Treglia 234
C O M M E N T A R Y
The Turtles Have Been Watching Me ........................................................................................................................ Eric Gangloff 238
B O O K R E V I E W
Threatened Amphibians of the World edited by S.N. Stuart, M. Hoffmann, J.S. Chanson, N.A. Cox, R. Berridge, P. Ramani, and B.E. Young .............................................................................................................. Robert Powell 243
CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Conservation Research Reports ................................. 245 NATURAL HISTORY RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Reports on Natural History ................................. 247 NEWBRIEFS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 248 EDITORIAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................................................... 251 FOCUS ON CONSERVATION: A Project You Can Support ............................................................................................... 252
Front Cover. Shannon Plummer.Totat et velleseque audant mo estibus inveliquo velique rerchil erspienimus, quos accullabo. Ilibus aut dolor apicto invere pe dolum fugiatis maionsequat eumque moditia erere nonsedis ma sectiatur ma derrovitae voluptam, as quos accullabo.
Back Cover. Michael KernTotat et velleseque audant mo
estibus inveliquo velique rerchil erspienimus, quos accullabo. Ilibus
aut dolor apicto invere pe dolum fugiatis maionsequat eumque
moditia erere nonsedis ma sectia-tur ma derrovitae voluptam, as
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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANSC O N S E R V AT I O N A N D N AT U R A L H I S T O R Y
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Changesinlizardcolorationhavebeenextensivelystudiedduringagonisticinteractions(e.g.,GreenbergandNoble
1944;GreenbergandCrews1990;SummersandGreenberg1994), but rarely in the context of sexual interactions.HereinwereportafieldobservationofmatingbehaviorinAnolis notopholis(Boulenger1896)(Squamata:Dactyloidae),amainland species that inhabits thePacific lowlands ofColombia(Fig.1).Thespeciesoccupiesthelowerstrataoftheforestassociatedwithherbaceousvegetation(vandenElzenandSchuchmann1986). We conducted fieldwork from 30 August to 15September2015inanoldgrowthtropicalhumidforest(sensu Holdridge1987)nearLaVictoria,municipalityofCantóndeSanPablo,departmentofChocó,Colombia(05º30’37”N,76º52’42.4”W,264masl).WerecordedandphotographedcopulatoryandpostcopulatorybehaviorofA. notopholis using aNikonCoolpixp530camera.Theapproximatedistancebetweentheobserverandthefocalanimalswasabout8m. Thepairwasontheleaflitter.Whenwefirstobservedthelizards,themalewasbesidethefemale,bitingherback,andshowingdarkgraylateralcoloration.Thefemalehadasimilargraycolorationandwasexhibitingabruptlateralheadmovements(Fig.2A).About6minlater,thegraycolorationofthemaledisappearedwhilethefemalecontinuedbobbingherhead(Fig.2B).Thecopulationlastedforapproximately46min;5minbeforetheend,themalerecoveredhisdarkcolorationwhilethefemaleintensifiedherhead-bobbing(Fig.2C).Themalethenreleasedthefemaleandmovedaway.Subsequently,foranother10min,weobservedhead-bobbinganddewlapextensioninthemale(Fig.2D). Inlizards,severalhormonesareknowntocontrolthemovementofmelaningranuleswithinmelanophores,causing
contractionorexpansionandtherebydarkeningorlighteningthebodycolor(e.g.,CooperandGreenberg1992).Intheobservation recorded here, the color of the male A. notopholis changedfromdarkgraytolightgreenin6min(Fig.2A–B).Attheendofthecopulation,thechangefromlightgreentograytookapproximately3min(Fig.2C);however,thischangewaslessintensethanthatobservedatthebeginningofcopulation. Inthefewspeciesforwhichreportsexist,thedurationofcopulationinAnolisgenerallyrangesfrom10to30min(e.g.,Jenssenetal.1995;Tokarz1999).Interestingly,copu-lation of A. notopholisdescribedhereintookabout46min.Although this could be a unique and interesting feature of the species,wecannoteliminatethepossibledisturbanceeffectof observers on copulationduration.Alternatively,moststudiesdescribingcopulationofanolesareconductedinthelaboratory,andcopulationsmightwelllastlongerinthefield(Alfonsoetal.2014).Additionaldataarenecessarytodis-criminatebetweenthesehypotheses.
Literature CitedAlfonso,Y.U.,V.Holanova.,andK.L.Krysko.2014.Copulationandoviposition
inthegreen-blotchedgiantanoleAnolis smallwoodi(Squamata:Dactyloidea),fromsoutheasternCuba.Reptiles & Amphibians21:108–115.
Cooper,W.E.,Jr.andN.Greenberg.1992.Reptiliancolorationandbehavior,pp.298–422.In:C.GansandD.Crews(eds.),Biology of the Reptilia. Volume 18, Physiology E. Hormones, Brain, and Behavior.UniversityofChicagoPress,Chicago,Illinois.
Greenberg,N.andD.Crews.1990.Endocrineandbehavioralresponsestoaggres-sion and social dominance in the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis.General and Comparative Endocrinology77:246–255.
Greenberg,N.andG.Noble.1944.SocialbehavioroftheAmericanChameleon(Anolis carolinensisVoigt).Physiological Zoology17:392–439.
Holdridge,L.R.1987.Ecología Basada en Zonas de Vida.InstitutoInteramericanodeCooperaciónparalaAgricultura,SanJosé,CostaRica.
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Jenssen,T.,N.Greenberg,andK.Hovde.1995.Behavioralprofileoffree-rangingmale lizards, Anolis carolinensis,acrossbreedingandpost-breedingseasons.Herpetological Monographs9:41–62.
Summers,C.H.andN.Greenberg.1994.Somaticcorrelatesofadrenergicactivityduring aggression in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis.Hormones and Behavior 28:29–40.
Tokarz,R.R.1999.Relationshipbetweencopulationdurationandspermtransferin the lizard Anolis sagrei.Herpetologica55:234–241.
van den Elzen, P. andK.L. Schuchmann. 1980.Notes onAnolis notopholis Boulenger,1896(Sauria:Iguanidae).Bonner Zoologische Beiträge31:319–322.
IRCFREPTILES&HIBIANS•23(2):90–92•AUG2016BELTRÁNETAL.
Fig. 1.Scaly-backedAnole(Anolis notopholis)colorationandpatterninafemale(A)andamale(B–D).
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BELTRÁNETAL. IRCFREPTILES&HIBIANS•23(2):90–92•AUG2016
Fig. 2.CopulatoryandpostcopulatorybehaviorinScaly-backedAnoles(Anolis notopholis).Malebodycolorationisdarkatthebeginningofthecopulation(A)andbecomeslighterfiveminuteslater(B).Malecolorationbecomesdarkagainafewminutesbeforetheendofcopulation(C).Aftercopulation,themalehead-bobsandextendshisdewlapforseveralminutes(D).
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