Meeting Abstract
P1.3 Monday, Jan. 4 Anolis carolinensis male‐male agonistic encounters: a three year study of the best predictors for determining dominant/subordinate status BLACK, M.P.; EZEOKE, C.B.**; SALEM, S.J.; SABULA, M.J.; WILCZYNSKI, W.; Georgia State University, Atlanta; Georgia State University, Atlanta; Georgia State University, Atlanta; Georgia Southern University, Statesboro; Georgia State University, Atlanta seawater@gsu.edu
Agonistic encounters can play an important role in the allocation of reproductive resources and the consequent fitness of an individual. The green anole lizard has an easily recognizable suite of behavioral displays that allow the determination and establishment of dominance and subordinance. To investigate the predictive value of different displays during the agonistic encounter, male Anolis carolinensis were paired with similar-sized males and observed as they established social status during a ninety-minute session. In real time, observers recorded bob A, B, and C, eyespot presence, dewlap displays, lateral displays, open mouth displays, wrestles, pushups, nips, and body color changes. Anole individuals that became dominant were green for a greater duration during the observation period. Dominant males also had a higher bob A and C count, longer latency to first bob A, more dewlap displays, and longer total duration of dewlap displays. In fights that escalated to open mouth displays, dominants had higher frequencies of open mouth displays. In contrast to previous reports, eyespot latency in this study was not predictive of winning or losing, and subordinates most often displayed aggressively first, usually as bob A displays. The latency differences between this study and others may be due to different geographic sources of anoles, smaller differences in size between competitors, or housing males with females as opposed to isolation before encounters. This suggests that displays that are predictive of outcomes may vary depending on the source populations and encounter environment.
