Habitat Structure Influences Parent-Offspring Association in a Social Lizard

摘要: Parental care emerges as a result of an increase in the extent interaction between parents and their offspring. These interactions can provide foundation for evolution range complex parental behaviors. Therefore, fundamental to understanding is factors that promote this initial parent-offspring association. Here, we used large outdoor enclosures test how spatial structure high-quality habitat affects occurrence associations social lizard (Liopholis whitii). We found association was higher when aggregated relative it dispersed. This may be greater competitive exclusion adults offspring from high quality crevices sites treatment compared dispersed treatment. Associating with had significant benefits growth body condition but there were no concomitant effects on survival. did not find costs terms increased harassment loss condition. discuss number potential mechanisms underlying these results. Regardless mechanisms, our results suggest shape L. whitti, highly habitats set stage diversification more forms observed across closely related species.