Territory acquisition in lizards. IV. Obtaining high status and exclusive home ranges

• Published in: Animal behaviour Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 461 - 472
• Main Authors: STAMPS, J.A, KRISHNAN, V.V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kent Elsevier Ltd 01.02.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amphibia and reptilia; Animal ethology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Vertebrata; Central America; America; West Indies; Social status; Vertebrata; Sauria; Territorial behavior; Home range; Social interaction; Population dynamics; Reptilia; Developmental stage; Young animal; Population density; Field study
• ISSN: 0003-3472; 1095-8282
• DOI: 10.1006/anbe.1997.0612

We released juvenileAnolis aeneuslizards into vacant patches of habitat in the field and observed as they established territories. Individuals settling in the presence of few competitors obtained more exclusive home ranges than did individuals settling at higher densities. When settling at high densities, juveniles that eventually attained high social status fought and chased their opponents more frequently than did juveniles that were subordinate to other residents at the end of the settlement period. With respect to predicting an individual's final status and space use, however, the fact that it fought other settlers was more important than the outcome of those fights. Results from this and previous studies in this series are consistent with a general model of territory establishment that includes assumptions about the value of familiar space, the costs of aggressive interactions and the ability of settlers to form predictable social relationships with one another.