Short Notes Vocalizationin Podarcissicula salfii

PaulE. Ouboter Departmentof Zoology, Antonde Kom University of Suriname, P.O.B.9212, Paramaribo, Suriname Mostreptiles are unable tovocalize. Crocodiles, snakes and some turtles and lizards areable to hiss. Other vocalizations occuras a regulartrait only in the Crocodilidae andAlligatoridae, Sphenodontidae, Gekkonidae, Chamaeleonidae (seereviews by Mertens(1946) and Vogel (1976)) and Pygopodidae (Weber and Werner, 1977). In addition,vocalization occurs insome members ofother lizard families. Inthe Lacer- tidaeit ismentioned formembers ofthe genera Gallotia, Ichnotropis, Lacerta, Psam- modromusanda single species ofPodarcis (seealso Mertens (1946) and Vogel (1976)). In1874 Eimer described Lacerta muralis coerulea (now Podarcis sicula coerulea) fromthe Faraglioni-rocks(Capri, Italy) and mentioned that this lizard was able to produce sounds,a kind of squeaking. Until now these observations havealways been doubted, bynumerous authors beginning with Bedriaga (1876). Mertens (1946) ascribed the soundsheard by Eimer to a cold-likeinfection ofthe specimens. Henle and Klaver (1986)never heard a squeakinP. sicula and therefore doubted Eimer's observations aswell. In this context it seems important topublish observations onthe vocalization ofa nearbyrelative ofP. s. coerulea, P.s. saljii. This subspecies liveson the small rock Vivarodi Nerano,12 km east of the Faraglioni-rocks. During research into the ecologyofthis lizard (Ouboter, 1981) it was noticed that it occasionallyproduced squeakingsounds. Onesqueak was recorded using an Uher 4200 taperecorder andSennheiser MKE 802microphone andmade visible by Kay Electric sonagraph (fig. 1). It lastedfor about0.07 sec. and its frequency wasbetween 200 and 2200 Hz. Squeaking occurred usuallywhen the lizards were handled, but it was also observed infree-ranging lizards. Sincesqueaks were uttered quite suddenly and their duration was short, it wasnot alwayseasy to observe inwhat context they were produced. I had the impression that it wasusually a reaction ofsudden fright, caused by meeting a researcher ora large 420

Figure1.Sonagram ofa squeak ofPodarcis siculasafi. malelizard. Squeaking wascarried out by males as well as females. The behaviour seemedtohave no influence onthe reaction ofdominant lizards, since subordinates werechased in spiteof squeaking. Examinationofthe larynx of a fewspecimens ofP. s. salfiishowed nothickening ofepithelium inthe cavity of the larynx ("Stimmlippen") asfound in Gallotia galloti (Vogel,1976), but the larynx seemed more compact instructure than that of P. s. sicula.More extensive studies could be rewarding.

Acknowledgements.I wouldliketo thank Prof. Dr. H. Schneider (Zoologisches InstitutderUniversität Bonn)who made thesonagram andProf. Dr. P. Dullemeyer (Department ofMorphology, University of Leiden)whoenabled meto examine themorphology ofthe larynx. Thefieldwork wassupported bya grant fromthe Foundation forthe Advancement ofHerpetology. References Bedriaga,J. v.(1876): DieFaraglioni-Eidechse unddie Entstehung derFarben beiden Eidechsen, eine ErwiderunganHerrn Prof. Dr. Th. Eimer. Heidelberg. Eimer,T.(1874): Zoologische Studienauf Capri.II.Lacerta muralis coerulea. Leipzig. Henle,K.,Klaver, Ch.J.J. (1986): Podarcis sicula(Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810)- Ruineneidechse. In: HandbuchderReptilien undAmphibien Europas, Band2/II, Echsen (Sauria) III(Lacertidae III: Podarcis),p.254-342. Böhme, W.,Ed., Wiesbaden, Aula-Verlag. Mertens,R. DieWarn- und Drohreaktionen der Abh.senckenb. Naturf. Ges. 471: 1-108.(1946): Reptilien. Ouboter,P.E.(1981): Theecology of theisland-lizard Podarcissicula salfii: Correlation of microdistribution withvegetation coverage, thermal environment andfood-size. Amphibia-Reptilia 2:243-257.