HAZARD, L.C.*; NAGY, K.A.; MILES, D.; COSTA, D.; SINERVO, B.; Univ. of California, Santa Cruz; Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Ohio University; Univ. of California, Santa Cruz; Univ. of California, Santa Cruz: Field metabolic rate, stamina and survival of male lizards with alternative mating strategies

Male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) in Los Banos, CA exhibit three alternative mating strategies (ultra-dominant, mate guarding, and sneaking) that are genetically controlled and associated with throat color (orange, blue, and yellow, respectively). This variation in reproductive behavior can be expected to influence the lizards� energy needs and physiological performance in the field. During the breeding season, we measured maximum sprint speed and stamina of ~200 just-captured male Uta in the laboratory, and then injected them with doubly-labeled water and released them at their home territories to measure field metabolic rate (FMR) and water turnover. 89 lizards survived to be recaptured ~28 days later, and 48 of those survived to a second recapture another ~19 days later. Lizards with higher stamina were more likely to survive; survivorship was not influenced by throat color or FMR. Mass-adjusted FMR and water turnover were higher during the first measurement period, and there was a slight but significant effect of throat color, with orange males having the lowest FMR and blue-yellow heterozygous males having the highest. FMR is therefore influenced by genotype (mating strategy) and may also be affected by the social environment in which the lizard is found.