Rock-dwelling lizards exhibit less sensitivity of sprint speed to increases in substrate rugosity.
Zoology (Jena)
; 116(3): 151-8, 2013 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23578935
ABSTRACT
Effectively moving across variable substrates is important to all terrestrial animals. The effects of substrates on lizard performance have ecological ramifications including the partitioning of habitat according to sprinting ability on different surfaces. This phenomenon is known as sprint sensitivity, or the decrease in sprint speed due to change in substrate. However, sprint sensitivity has been characterized only in arboreal Anolis lizards. Our study measured sensitivity to substrate rugosity among six lizard species that occupy rocky, sandy, and/or arboreal habitats. Lizards that use rocky habitats are less sensitive to changes in substrate rugosity, followed by arboreal lizards, and then by lizards that use sandy habitats. We infer from comparative phylogenetic analysis that forelimb, chest, and tail dimensions are important external morphological features related to sensitivity to changes in substrate rugosity.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Corrida
/
Ecossistema
/
Lagartos
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
País como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article