Meeting Abstract

18.6  Saturday, Jan. 4 11:30  Locomotor performance of lizards during pursuit of prey and evasion from predators ANDERSON, R A; Western Washington Univ. Roger.Anderson@wwu.edu

A robust, comprehensive study of locomotory capabilities in a terrestrial vertebrate requires adequate observation and testing in the field as well as in the lab. Terrestrial lizards in desert scrub are useful model systems for studying locomotory adaptedness because they can be observed and tested easily in the field as they pursue prey and evade predators. The long-nosed leopard lizard, Gambelia wislizenii is a mesopredator that preys on highly mobile insects and lizards, including the highly evasive western whiptail lizard, Aspidoscelis tigris. The bipedal and quadrupedal running, leaping, and turning performances of these coevolved lizards were examined, primarily on natural substratum in the field.