UV-Deprived Coloration Reduces Success in Mate Acquisition in Male Sand Lizards (Lacerta agilis)

AbstractWe investigated factors that may determine mate guarding tactics in male sand lizards. In a sample of lizards from a museum collection, larger males had larger testis, but in laboratory experiments and in a natural population larger males did not sire more offspring. Males with long inter-copulatory intervals were more successful in sperm competition than males with short inter-copulatory intervals. In the wild, the operational sex ratio (OSR, No of receptive females/No of sexually active males) declined throughout the mating season. Mean duration of mate guardings was unaffected by OSR, time to ovulation, female age and mass, and clutch size. Larger males guarded females longer and were more likely to mate guard a female of similar age. Larger males had more partners but there was no correlation between male size or guarding time and the proportion of young that males sired in clutches from females mated with several partners. Males with more partners were more successful at siring offspring in clutches from females that mated with more than one partner. We suggest that fitter males are better at both mate acquisition and have more competitive sperm.

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Application of DNA Barcoding in Taxonomy and Phylogeny: An Individual Case of COI Partial Gene Sequencing from Seven Animal Species

Vestnik Zoologii ◽

10.2478/vzoo-2019-0034 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 (5) ◽

pp. 375-384

Author(s):

M. Drohvalenko ◽

A. Mykhailenko ◽

M. Rekrotchuk ◽

L. Shpak ◽

V. Shuba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Trees ◽

Far East ◽

Individual Case ◽

Ambystoma Mexicanum ◽

Leaf Miner ◽

Horse Chestnut ◽

Natural Reserve ◽

Rock Lizard ◽

Sand Lizard ◽

Lacerta Agilis

Abstract A part of the COI mitochondrial barcoding gene was sequenced from seven species of different taxonomical groups: Ambystoma mexicanum (Amphibia, Ambystomatidae), Darevskia lindholmi, Lacerta agilis exigua (Reptilia, Lacertidae), Erinaceus roumanicus (Mammalia, Erinaceidae), Macrobiotus sp. 1 and 2 (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotidae) and Cameraria ohridella (Insecta, Gracillariidae). The sequences were compared with available sequences from databases and positioned on phylogenetic trees when the taxa had not yet been sequenced. The presence of Mexican axolotls in herpetoculture in Ukraine was confirmed. The partial COI genes of the Crimean rock lizard and an eastern sub-species of the sand lizard were sequenced. We demonstrated the presence of two tardigrade mitochondrial lineages of the Macrobiotus hufelandi group in the same sample from the Zeya Natural Reserve in the Far East: one was nearly identical to the Italian M. macrocalix, and the other one is similar to M. persimilis and M. vladimiri. We also confirmed the presence of the invasive haplotype “A” of the horse chestnut leaf miner in Ukraine, in line with the hypothesized route of invasion from Central Europe.

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Female song in the Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca

Journal of Ornithology ◽

10.1007/s10336-021-01902-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Robert Patchett ◽

Alexander N. G. Kirschel ◽

Joanna Robins King ◽

Patrick Styles ◽

Will Cresswell

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Bird Species ◽

Breeding Period ◽

Territorial Defence ◽

Multiple Functions ◽

Male Song ◽

Female Song ◽

Mate Acquisition

AbstractFemale song is widespread across bird species yet rarely reported. Here, we report the first observations and description of female song in the Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca and compare it to male song through the breeding season. Twenty-five percent of colour-ringed females were observed singing at least once, predominantly in April, compared to 71% of males that continued singing through the breeding period. We suggest that female song may have multiple functions in this species, but it may be especially important in territorial defence and mate acquisition.

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Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis L.) with a second clutch in Denmark

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853881x00096 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 267

Author(s):

Jan Kjaergaard Jensen

Keyword(s):

Sand Lizard ◽

Lacerta Agilis ◽

Second Clutch

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Effects of male telomeres on probability of paternity in sand lizards

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2018.0033 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. 20180033 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Angela Pauliny ◽

Emily Miller ◽

Nicky Rollings ◽

Erik Wapstra ◽

Donald Blomqvist ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Experimental Data ◽

Dna Damage ◽

Sperm Competition ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Sperm Motility ◽

Female Identity ◽

Laboratory Population ◽

Lacerta Agilis

Standardized swim-up trials are used in in vitro fertilization clinics to select particularly motile spermatozoa in order to increase the probability of a successful fertilization. Such trials demonstrate that sperm with longer telomeres have higher motility and lower levels of DNA damage. Regardless of whether sperm motility, and successful swim-up to fertilization sites, is a direct or correlational effect of telomere length or DNA damage, covariation between telomere length and sperm performance predicts a relationship between telomere length and probability of paternity in sperm competition, a prediction that for ethical reasons cannot be tested on humans. Here, we test this prediction in sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis ) using experimental data from twice-mated females in a laboratory population, and telomere length in blood from the participating lizards. Female identity influenced paternity (while the mechanism was not identified), while relatively longer male telomeres predicted higher probability of paternity. We discuss potential mechanisms underpinning this result.

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