Reproductive Signals of Female Lizards: Pattern of Trait Expression and Male Response

摘要: Relative to the volume of studies concerning function and evolution male-biased sexually dimorphic traits, instances female-biased sexual dimorphisms remain largely unstudied, especially in species with conventional sex roles. I investigated signal a female-specific ornamental trait using striped plateau lizard (Sceloporus virgatus, Phrynosomatidae) as model system. During reproductive season, female S. virgatus develop orange color on their throats that is absent conspecific males. established relationship between expression state, determined male response color. show dynamic changes occurring within patch can potentially identify each stage cycle, because lag growth relative intensification. Sexual receptivity associated intense patches rapidly growing size; ovulation occurs near peak expression; unreceptive period large fading intensity. Because females express during both receptive periods, pattern consistent courtship-stimulation courtship-rejection hypotheses function. Males may preferentially associate have more highly developed courtship and/or ignore such when they are unreceptive. An examination behavior towards unfamiliar indicates has role stimulation but little, if any, rejection. pre-mating males maintained significantly closer affiliation with, tended perform social post-mating had no apparent effect behavior. The current ornaments vary among taxonomically-related result differences ecology, system, life-history.