Foraging modes in lacertid lizards from southern Africa

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Cooper ◽  
Martin J. Whiting
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Cooper ◽  
Martin J. Whiting

AbstractMost lacertids are active foragers, but intrafamilial variation in foraging mode is greater than in most lizard families. We collected data on eight species of African lacertids to assess this variation. Both active and ambush foraging occurred within Pedioplanis and Meroles. Meroles ctenodactylus had a proportion of time moving and proportion of attacked prey detected while moving intermediate to those for actively foraging and ambushing Pedioplanis, but its number of movements per minute was exceptionally high. This species has a unique mixed foraging mode. Like active foragers, it seeks food by tongue-flicking while moving and spends a high percentage of the time moving. Like ambush foragers, it searches visually for prey during pauses between movements. Our findings confirm published data on four Kalahari lacertids. We discuss the history of foraging modes in advanced lacertids.


1990 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.L. Werner ◽  
I. Lampl ◽  
D. Rothenstein ◽  
G. Perry ◽  
N. Sivan ◽  
...  

AbstractForaging strategy was observed in five species of Israeli lacertid lizards in the field. Acanthodactylus scutellatus is a sit-and-wait strategist, whereas A. boskianus, A. schreiberi, Lacerta laevis and Mesalina guttulata forage widely. However, the actual values differed from those reported by Huey and Pianka (1981) for Kalahari lacertids, possibly indicating the existence of a continuum of foraging modes. Foraging intensity (proportion of time spent moving or frequency of moves) is positively correlated to relative tail length, and negatively correlated to relative clutch mass. Additional possible correlates are discussed, and some cautionary remarks added.


2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Goldberg ◽  
Charles R. Bursey

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 391-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. Whiting ◽  
P. le F.N. Mouton ◽  
Johannes H. Van Wyk ◽  
William E. Cooper

AbstractTwo lizard foraging modes, ambush and active foraging, are usually quantified by the variables MPM (movements per minute) and PTM (proportion of time spent moving), but both variables may be affected by behaviors other than foraging. We introduce PAM, the proportion of attacks on prey discovered while lizards are moving (in relation to total attacks). PAM focuses exclusively on foraging behavior. Preliminary data reveal a very high, significant rank correlation between PAM and PTM, and a fairly high, but nonsignificant correlation between PAM and MPM. Collection of PAM data can be very time-consuming. In the absence of PAM, PTM appears to be a superior index of foraging activity to MPM, but all three indices provide valuable information on different aspects of foraging. We additionally present data for four agamine and five gekkonid species from southern Africa. The first quantitative data for agamines (all for Agama) agree with previous qualitative assessments that members of several agamine genera are ambush foragers. All the gekkonids, including three species of Rhotropus and one each of Pachydactylus and Phyllodactylus, are ambush foragers, like most geckos studied to date.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document