Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) chemical signals. II. A replication with naturally breeding adults and a test of the cowles and phelan hypothesis of rattlesnake olfaction

Abstract

The capacity of naturally breeding western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis biseriatus) to discriminate and respond to conspecific and control chemical cues was examined. Lizards were presented with markings and exudates of male and female donors, as well as cologne (a pungency control) and water, in a successive discrimination procedure. Behavioral actions quantified after exposure to the different chemical cue types included lingual extrusions (tongue flicks and substrate licks), rapid nasal inhalations, and the performance of push‐up visual displays. Initial latencies to lingual investigation of the different extracts and markings also were recorded as a measure of the extent to which nasal olfaction would switch on the tongue‐Jacobson's organ (vomeronasal olfactory) system. Although no sex differences in total levels of response were noted, males and females exhibited significant lingual discriminations equally to exudates collected from male or female conspecifics. Push‐up visual displays also were noted in response to conspecific markings. Cologne‐marked surfaces, however, elicited nonsignificant levels of lingual investigation and push‐up displaying. Latencies to initial tongue flicks, but not substrate licks, were significantly shorter when any material other than water was present. Therefore, as suggested by Cowles and Phelan ('58), nasal olfaction may indeed be more of a “quantitative,” distance sensing system that responds to the presence of any pungent substance by initiating further investigation via the tongue‐Jacobson's organ system. The latter appears to be more “qualitative,” or discriminating, as indexed by relatively greater levels of lingual investigation of conspecific markings than cologne. No differences were noted in rapid nasal inhalation activity. The results suggest that pheromone markings, along the ground or other surfaces, may be important to spacing and territorial maintenance in nature. This could occur through direct pheromone effects on signal recipients, or indirectly, through the stimulation of increased push‐up activity, which could make lizards more visible to one another.