Chemical Polymorphism and Chemosensory Recognition between Iberolacerta monticola Lizard Color Morphs
1 Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (C.S.I.C.), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain 2 Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C-2 Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
Correspondence to be sent to: José Martín, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain. e-mail: jose.martin{at}mncn.csic.es
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Abstract |
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In the lizard Iberolacerta monticola, there are 2 discrete color morphs ("blue" vs. "green") that seem to have alternative reproductive strategies. Because scent marking of territories and chemoreception are important in social organization of these lizards, we explored whether there is also chemical polymorphism and chemosensory recognition between color morphs. Analyses by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that adult males of different morphs had similar chemical compounds in femoral gland secretions, but the proportions of some shared chemicals were different; blue morph males had higher proportions of steroids and lower proportions of fatty acids than green males. Differential tongue-flick rates to scents from femoral secretions of males indicated that males were able to detect the scent of any male from a baseline odorless control (water) but did not discriminate between the scent of males of different morphs. In contrast, females detected and discriminated between scents of the 2 male morphs by chemical cues alone. We suggest that differences in males’ chemical signals between morphs and the ability of females of discriminating chemically between male morphs might be required to maintain spatial behavior, social organization, and mate choice decisions and, thus, be important for the maintenance of alternative reproductive strategies and polymorphism in lizards.
Key words: chemosensory recognition, femoral glands secretion, lizards, morphs, polymorphism
Accepted 20 August 2009