Meeting Abstract

85.6  Friday, Jan. 7  Anti-predator behavior of side-blotched lizards in response to a novel predator FLYNN, L.M.; ZANI, P.A.**; Whitman College; Whitman College zanipa@whitman.edu

Previously we showed that when approached by a model western racer (Coluber mormon), a locally common terrestrial snake, side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) flee away from the predator (~180°) and to nearby cliffs (~0°) for refuge. Certain Uta populations in eastern Oregon occur outside the range of other common predators, such as collared lizards (Crotaphytus bicinctores). To quantify escape behavior when presented with a novel predator, we approached Uta (n = 53) from one such population with either a model snake (Coluber) or lizard (Crotaphytus). We found that when approached by either model, Uta fled non-randomly away (i.e., ~180°) from the “predator” (mean ± S.E.M.: 137 ± 20.5° vs. 173 ± 13.2° for snake and lizard, respectively) and fled generally, but not directly, toward (i.e., ~0°) the cliff refuge (59 ± 15.5° vs. 59 ± 23.5° for snake and lizard, respectively). These results indicate that there is no difference in directional response to either predator. Uta had a greater flight initiation distance when approached by a lizard than by a snake (0.26 ± 0.028 m vs. 0.16 ± 0.022 m, respectively), suggesting an increased wariness of novel predators. However, complicating this interpretation, we found that Uta ran farther from a snake than a lizard (3.7 ± 0.86 m vs. 1.2 ± 0.20 m, respectively). These results suggest that anti-predator behavior of Uta may exhibit both conserved (i.e., general) and predator-specific elements. Ongoing study of Uta from populations that differ in predator composition should allow us to tease apart these anti-predator responses.