Vol. 16 No. 1 (2021)
Short Note

Flight initiation distance of Urosaurus ornatus from the Sierra de Samalayuca, Mexico

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  • Julio A. Lemos-Espinal,
  • Geoffrey R. Smith
Julio A. Lemos-Espinal
Laboratorio de Ecología-UBIPRO, FES Iztacala UNAM, Avenida los Barrios 1, Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla,edo. de México, 54090, México
Geoffrey R. Smith
Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, Ohio 43023 USA
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-9843

Published 2021-04-11

Keywords

  • Approach distance,
  • anti-predator response,
  • cryptic,
  • lizard,
  • sex,
  • temperature
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Lemos-Espinal, J. A., & Smith, G. R. (2021). Flight initiation distance of Urosaurus ornatus from the Sierra de Samalayuca, Mexico. Acta Herpetologica, 16(1), 53–57. https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-9843
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Abstract

In lizards, flight initiation distance (FID), the distance between a prey individual and a predator when escape begins, can be affected by numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including sex, temperature, and level of conspicuousness. Here we report on a study of FID in a population of Ornate Tree Lizards, Urosaurus ornatus, from the Sierra de Samalyuca, Chihuahua, Mexico which are cryptic due to their dorsal coloration blending into their background. Urosaurus ornatus in our study population allowed close approaches (mean FID = 65 cm). Mean FID did not differ between males and females. We also found no effect of body, air, or substrate temperature on FID. The short FID we observed may be related to the cryptic nature of U. ornatus.

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