Chemosensory predator recognition induces defensive behavior in the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis)

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 510-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Cabido ◽  
Adega Gonzalo ◽  
Pedro Galán ◽  
José Martín ◽  
Pilar López
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Defensive Behaviors ◽  
Low Visibility ◽  
Grass Snake ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Anguis Fragilis ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Tongue Flicks ◽  
Coronella Austriaca

Many antipredator adaptations are induced or mediated by the ability of the prey to recognize chemical cues from the predator. This ability is particularly advantageous for organisms whose environment precludes the effective use of other sensory systems, such as fossorial lizards. We tested the ability of the slow-worm, Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758, a semifossorial legless lizard, to detect and discriminate chemical stimuli arising from potential predators. We compared rates of tongue-flicks to swabs impregnated with scents from the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768), a sympatric predator, the grass snake (Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758)), a sympatric but non-saurophagous predator, and the three-toed skink (Chalcides striatus (Cuvier, 1829)), a sympatric insectivorous, and thus innocuous, skink. Differential tongue-flick rates suggest that scents of smooth snakes were recognized by slow-worms. Moreover, scents of smooth snakes were quickly avoided and elicited defensive behaviors much more often than any other scent, suggesting that chemical cues are a reliable means of assessing the snake's presence. These chemosensory capacities would be evolutionarily advantageous to avoid predation by snakes and are likely to represent a component of the suite of adaptations associated with low-visibility habitats.

Lingually mediated discrimination of prey, but not plant chemicals, by the Central American anguid lizard, Mesaspis moreletii

2001 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Habegger ◽  
William Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Deionized Water ◽  
Central American ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Romaine Lettuce ◽  
Plant Chemicals ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Differential Responses ◽  
Tongue Flicks ◽  
Number Of Individuals

AbstractThe ability of the anguid lizard Mesaspis moreletii to identify food using only chemical cues was tested experimentally by presenting a series of chemical stimuli to lizards on the cotton tips of wooden applicators. The lizards responded much more strongly to cricket surface chemicals than to surface chemicals from romaine lettuce, diluted cologne (pungency control), and deionized water (odorless control). In a second experiment, there were no significant differences among conditions in tongue-flicks, tongue-flick attack scores, or number of individuals that bit swabs bearing stimuli from banana, white grape, dandelion, or deionized water. The absence of differential responses was not due to habituation because individuals tested again with cricket stimuli immediately after experiment two all bit the swabs. In the laboratory the lizards readily consumed insects, but refused to eat plants selected for their palatability to herbivorous lizards. Our data suggest that M. moreletii is carnivorous.

scholarly journals Offspring and adult chemosensory recognition by an amphisbaenian reptile may allow maintaining familiar links in the fossorial environment

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10780
Author(s):  
José Martín ◽  
Ernesto Raya-García ◽  
Jesús Ortega ◽  
Pilar López
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Stable Family ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Family Groups

Kin recognition is a phenomenon with an important function in maintaining cohesive social groups in animals. Several studies have examined parent–offspring recognition in species with direct parental care. Few studies have, however, explored parent–offspring recognition in animals that, at best, only show apparent indirect parental care, such as some reptiles. In this study, we investigated reciprocal parent–offspring recognition in the fossorial amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni, a viviparous species that shows potential stable ‘family groups’ in the form of parent-offspring long-term associations. We examined whether adult males and females could discriminate via chemical cues between familiar juveniles which associate with them within their family groups, and are potentially their offspring, to that of unfamiliar juveniles, and whether juveniles could discriminate between familiar adult males and females of their family group (probably their parents) and unfamiliar unrelated adults. We measured tongue flick behavior to study chemosensory responses to the scent of conspecifics. We found that adult female amphisbaenians, but not males, could discriminate between scents of familiar and unfamiliar juveniles. Juvenile amphisbaenians did not discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar adult females, but recognize familiar from unfamiliar males. We discuss our results of parent–offspring recognition according to its potential social function in an ecological fossorial context where visibility is limited and chemosensory kin recognition may contribute to the establishment of stable family groups.

Antipredatory behaviour of a mountain lizard towards the chemical cues of its predatory snakes

Behaviour ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 155 (10-12) ◽  
pp. 817-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaida Ortega ◽  
Abraham Mencía ◽  
Valentín Pérez-Mellado
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Antipredator Behaviour ◽  
Behavioural Pattern ◽  
Potential Predator ◽  
Snake Species ◽  
Antipredatory Behaviour ◽  
Antipredatory Response ◽  
Natrix Maura ◽  
Coronella Austriaca

Abstract The ability to early detect a potential predator is essential for survival. The potential of Iberolacerta cyreni lizards to discriminate between chemical cues of their two predatory snakes Coronella austriaca (a non-venomous active-hunter saurophagous specialist) and Vipera latastei (a venomous sit-and-wait generalist) was evaluated herein. A third snake species, Natrix maura, which does not prey on lizards, was used as a pungent control. Thus, the behaviour of I. cyreni was studied regarding four treatments: (1) C. austriaca scent, (2) V. latastei scent, (3) N. maura scent and (4) odourless control. Lizards showed antipredator behaviour (such as slow-motion and tail waving) to C. austriaca and V. latastei chemicals. The antipredatory response was similar for both predators. This ability to react with an intensive behavioural pattern to the chemical cues of their predatory snakes may prevent lizards from being detected, and, if detected, dissuade the predator from beginning a pursuit.

scholarly journals Age-Dependent Utilization of Shelters and Habitat in Two Reptile Species with Contrasting Intraspecific Interactions

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 995
Author(s):  
Kolanek ◽  
Bury ◽  
Turniak ◽  
Szymanowski
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
The Body ◽  
Intraspecific Interactions ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Active Protection ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Anguis Fragilis ◽  
Coronella Austriaca ◽  
Effective Conservation

Reptiles undergo worldwide decline driven mostly by habitat change. Detailed recognition of factors underlying spatial structure and habitat utilization is therefore a prerequisite of effective conservation of this group. While the body of data on spatial ecology of reptiles is rapidly growing, studies on social factors remain still underrepresented. We studied age-specific patterns of shelter use, range size, and habitat preferences in the context of intraspecific interactions in the smooth snake Coronella austriaca—known to exhibit intraspecific predation—and the limbless lizard slow worm Anguis fragilis—with no such behavior observed. Despite smaller availability of preferred microhabitats, juveniles of smooth snakes occupied habitat and shelters located at the edge of the population range that did not overlap with adults. No such pattern was observed in the slow worm. Our study indicates that intraspecific interactions affect the spatial ecology of squamates. Passive and active protection of habitat must include wide buffers to preserve the poorly detectable young fraction of the population.

The shadow of the shell: a cue for a new home

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 1165-1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monserrat Suárez-Rodríguez ◽  
Karla Kruesi ◽  
Guillermina Alcaraz
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
The Real ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Intertidal Environments

AbstractHermit crabs use different senses to search for and find shells. In most cases, chemical cues have been proven to act as a very efficient way of finding new shells. However, in intertidal environments, the water transports chemical signals in different directions and velocities may make it harder to track the source of the cue, so visual stimuli may be a more precise source of information. The hermit crab Calcinus californiensis shows a preference for the biconical shells of Stramonita biserialis, although the crabs may also use the less preferred shell of Nerita scabricosta. We were interested in exploring if C. californiensis identify the preferred shell species through vision in the absence of chemical stimuli. We presented both shell species to hermit crabs in two different sets of experiments. In one experiment, we presented to the hermit crabs real shells of N. scabricosta and S. biserialis, and in another, we presented only the silhouettes of the same shells. The hermit crabs discriminated between the real shells and the silhouettes of N. scabricosta and S. biserialis. Females attended with higher frequency to real shells and silhouettes of S. biserialis; while males attended more to shells and silhouettes of N. scabricosta. Although, larger males biased their attendance toward shells of S. biserialis. Our results show that visual perception may be more important than we have thought in intertidal animals.

The Effects of Prediction, Quickening, Frequency Separation, and Percent of Pursuit in Perspective Displays for Low-Visibility Landing

1978 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 208-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Study ◽  
High Potential ◽  
Frequency Separation ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Display System ◽  
Aircraft Landing ◽  
Cockpit Displays ◽  
Low Visibility ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Unique Context

Pictorial realism has long been considered necessary in aircraft landing displays because it makes effective use of man's superior perceptual capabilities. A serious limitation to pictorially realistic two-dimensional displays is that they must be magnified to provide distance cues equivalent to those provided in scenes viewed directly. This paper presents a rationale for applying some well known concepts including prediction, quickening, frequency separation, and percent of pursuit, to the development of forward-looking cockpit displays for low-visibility curved approach and landing tasks that may permit a compromise of the magnification principle. The development of such a display system provides a unique context for the systematic study of the interrelationships among these display concepts with a high potential for scientific and applied payoffs.

Omnivorous lacertid lizards (Gallotia) from El Hierro, Canary Islands, can identify prey and plant food using only chemical cues

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 881-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E Cooper, Jr. ◽  
Valentín Pérez-Mellado
Keyword(s):  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Plant Food ◽  
El Hierro ◽  
Plant Chemical ◽  
Lacertid Lizards ◽  
Chemical Discrimination ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Tongue Flicking ◽  
The One

We studied lingual and biting responses to food chemicals by two species of omnivorous lacertid lizards, the Canary Island endemics Gallotia simonyi (the giant lizard of El Hierro) and Gallotia caesaris (Boettger's lizard), to ascertain their ability to discriminate between prey and plant food chemicals on the one hand and control stimuli on the other. We recorded frequencies of tongue-flicking and latency to bite in 60-s trials in which chemical stimuli on cotton-tipped applicators were presented to the lizards. Both species exhibited prey-chemical discrimination, as indicated by elevated tongue-flick rates and higher proportions of individuals biting in response to surface chemicals from crickets. Both species exhibited plant-chemical discrimination, as indicated by significantly greater tongue-flick rates and biting frequency in response to chemicals from tomato fruit than to the control stimuli. Juvenile G. simonyi responded much more strongly to chemical stimuli from tomato fruit than from leaves of Psoralea bituminosa, which is not a preferred food for juveniles. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chemosensory discrimination evolves in omnivorous lizards to permit evaluation of food quality, resulting in correspondence between plant diet and plant-chemical discrimination, both being absent in insectivores. The results are also consistent with the hypothesis that prey-chemical discrimination is retained and plant-chemical discrimination evolves in the omnivorous lizards derived from actively foraging insectivores.

Do lizards (Podarcis siculus) react to whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) scents? A comparative test on odour stimuli recognition

Behaviour ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 157 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 315-331
Author(s):  
Francesco Cerini ◽  
Giacomo Mattei ◽  
Luca Luiselli ◽  
Leonardo Vignoli
Keyword(s):  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Comparative Test ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Complex Control ◽  
Podarcis Siculus ◽  
Tongue Flicks ◽  
Whip Snake

Abstract We tested the ability in the ruin lizard (Podarcis siculus) to discriminate between odour of a predator (the whip snake Hierophis viridiflavus) and those from harmless sources. We analysed two lizard populations: one (PP) predated by snakes and another (PNP) where no snakes occur. We tested the rate of tongue flick directed to cotton-tips impregnated with odours, and the rate of tongue flick, the time spent in immobility, escaping and exploring the terrarium containing a diffuse odour. We used the smell of the snake as dangerous stimulus, water as blank control, and cologne as complex control. Both populations did not discriminate snake cue from complex odour in both the experiments. PP individuals were more active and prone to analysing and exploring the stimuli and the environment than PNP lizards. In PP, the higher interest towards cologne and snake scents could be triggered just by their complexity that requires more tongue flicks to be ‘analysed’, with no apparent adaptive anti-predatory value. Overall, we observed a total responsiveness and activity pattern higher in the PP respect to PNP.

Site familiarity affects antipredator behavior of the amphisbaenian Blanus cinereus

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 2142-2146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar López ◽  
José Martín ◽  
Andrés Barbosa
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Antipredator Behavior ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Site Familiarity ◽  
Morphological Adaptations ◽  
Defensive Behaviors ◽  
Antipredator Behaviors ◽  
Tongue Flicks

Morphological adaptations of amphisbaenians to fossorial life might affect their antipredator-behavior decisions. Amphisbaenians exposed on the soil surface by a predator can escape by burrowing immediately or by using alternative defensive behaviors on the soil surface, and should decide where to burrow in order to return to their home range. We simulated in the laboratory predatory attacks toward individual amphisbaenians (Blanus cinereus), and examined whether their antipredator and burrowing responses were affected by site familiarity (familiar versus unfamiliar substrate) and their internal state (i.e., body temperature and associated burrowing performance). Amphisbaenians showed significantly longer episodes of alternative antipredator behaviors on the soil surface (coiling and still) when the temperature was low. Before starting to burrow in unfamiliar substrates, individuals emitted numerous tongue flicks and moved for significantly longer periods of time than when on familiar substrates, independently of temperature. In contrast, in their own cages, with familiar substrates, amphisbaenians performed only a few tongue flicks before starting to burrow. Subsequently, the time spent burrowing was significantly longer when the temperature was low or amphisbaenians were on an unfamiliar substrate. These results suggest that amphisbaenians are able to recognize their own home range by chemosensory cues and that they are able to use this information when deciding where to burrow to escape from potential predators.

Chemosensory deficiency may render island-dwelling lizards more vulnerable to invasive predators

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Van Moorleghem ◽  
Katleen Huyghe ◽  
Raoul Van Damme
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Cues ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Predator Detection ◽  
Invasive Predators ◽  
Introduced Predators ◽  
Herpestes Auropunctatus ◽  
Scent Detection ◽  
Mammalian Predator ◽  
Whip Snake ◽  
Small Indian Mongoose

Abstract Newly introduced predators constitute a major threat to prey populations worldwide. Insular prey animals in particular often do not succeed in overcoming their naivety towards alien predators, making them specifically vulnerable. Why this is the case remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigate how the ability to detect and respond to predator chemical cues varies among populations of the Dalmatian wall lizard, Podarcis melisellensis. Lizards were sampled from five locations in south-eastern Croatia (one mainland location and four islands) that varied in the composition of their predator community. We observed the lizards’ behaviour in response to chemical cues of native saurophagous snakes (the Balkan whip snake, Hierophis gemonensis, and eastern Montpellier snake, Malpolon insignitus) and an introduced mammalian predator (the small Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus – a species held responsible for the loss of numerous insular reptile populations worldwide). Mainland lizards showed elevated tongue-flick rates (indicative of scent detection) as well as behaviours associated with distress in response to scents of both native and introduced predators. In sharp contrast, island lizards did not alter their behaviour when confronted with any of the predator cues. Alarmingly, even lizards from islands with native predators (both snakes and mammals) and from an island on which mongooses were introduced during the 1920s were non-responsive. This suggests that insular populations are chemosensorily deprived. As failure at the predator-detection level is often seen as the most damaging form of naivety, these results provide further insight into the mechanisms that render insular-living animals vulnerable to invasive species.

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