Abstract
Caudal autotomy (tail shedding) is a defence mechanism against predation which is used by lizards when other tactics, such as crypsis and escape, prove ineffective. The speed at which autotomy occurs has important implications for survival, and the accuracy of tail loss is of consequence for an individual’s future fitness. Autotomy is shaped by both taxon-specific tail morphology as well as environmental factors such as predator history, and it can be difficult to distinguish between these processes. In this study, the frequency of tail-regeneration observed (field rate of autotomy), latency (speed of autotomy in the laboratory) and accuracy of tail loss were measured in six lizard species from two families (Scincidae and Diplodactylidae). The field rate and latency of autotomy was similar among all species except for the large nocturnal skink Oligosoma macgregori, which was less likely to autotomise. Latency and field rates of autotomy were not correlated, implying that the field rates of autotomy are related to predation attacks, social interactions, or some other environmental factor, rather than an innate disposition to autotomy. Further study, for example comparing populations with low and high predation pressure, will help to explain which of these factors are influencing autotomy rates.
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to those who assisted with lizard capture in the field, C Miskelly for McGregor’s skink capture information, and JM Hoare, AR Martin, and three anonymous reviewers for critical comments on the draft. Financial support was provided by a VUW Postgraduate Scholarship and a Foundation for Research Science and Technology New Zealand Science and Technology Postdoctoral Fellowship. Research was carried out with approval of the New Zealand Department of Conservation (LIZ0406, 9/375ROA), VUW Animal Ethics Committee (2002R3, 2004R2), and consultation with Ngāti Toa people.
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Hare, K.M., Miller, K.A. Frequency of tail loss does not reflect innate predisposition in temperate New Zealand lizards. Naturwissenschaften 97, 197–203 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0628-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0628-4