Influence of prey encounter and prey identity on area-restricted searching in the lizard Pedioplanis namaquensis

We experimentally determined that the lizard Pedioplanis namaquensis engages in area-restricted searching (=ARS, localized searching after encounters with food) while foraging and that prey characteristics influence ARS. Single prey items were introduced to free-ranging lizards, and their subsequent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of ethology 2012, Vol.30 (1), p.197-200
Main Authors: Eifler, Douglas A, Baipidi, Karabo, Eifler, Maria A, Dittmer, Drew, Nguluka, Luwi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amphibia. Reptilia
Animal Ecology
Behavioral Sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Diptera
Evolutionary Biology
Food
foraging
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Isoptera
Lacertilia
Life Sciences
lizards
Oryza sativa
Prey
rice
Short Communication
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Zoology
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Summary:We experimentally determined that the lizard Pedioplanis namaquensis engages in area-restricted searching (=ARS, localized searching after encounters with food) while foraging and that prey characteristics influence ARS. Single prey items were introduced to free-ranging lizards, and their subsequent search effort was characterized using first passage times (=FPT, time required for an animal to cross a circle of a given radius). Three prey types were used: termites, flies, and rice (control). FPTs were longer following termite encounters than following fly or control encounters. Control treatments produced no change in FPT, while lizards searching for termites showed the greatest change. The use by Pedioplanis namaquensis of ARS was most pronounced for the typically aggregated prey type.
ISSN:0289-0771
1439-5444
DOI:10.1007/s10164-011-0293-x