Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 859-861 (2020) (published online on 16 October 2020)

Records for mimicry and death-feigning in four lizards in the coastal region of the State of Amapá, Brazil

Jessica Stefany Costa Anaissi1*, Aline Emanuele Oliveira de Souza1, Ana Luiza Sangel Soeiro1, Fernanda Souza Melo1, and Carlos Eduardo Costa-Campos1

Batesian mimicry is an anti-predatory strategy whereby The data presented in this study was collected on 24th a non-toxic emulates a dangerous or toxic one February 2020 at the Maracá-Jipioca Ecological Station, (Vaughan et al., 2019). Some lizards mimic toxic or State of Amapá, northern coast of Brazil (1.9534°N, - dangerous invertebrates such as scorpions (Autumn and 50.5142°W). The area, located on the Atlantic coast, is a Han, 1989; Pianka and Vitt 2003; Brandão and Motta, conservation unit that comprises three islands: Maracá- 2005). In this behaviour, lizards fold their tails over their Norte and Maracá-Sul (that are insulated by the stream back when active, resembling the metasoma position Canal do Inferno), and Jipioca Island, consisting of of scorpions, which also exposes the tail to predators, well-preserved wet habitats formed by meadows with directing attacks to this body part (Pianka and Vitt, a mosaic of floodplains, mangroves, bamboo forest and 2003). small areas of terra firme forest (França et al., 2018). Death-feigning is an anti-predator strategy adopted During field surveys of local herpetofauna, we captured by diverse prey late on in the predation sequence, and four lizards: Hemidactylus mabouia, Gonatodes frequently following physical contact by the predator humeralis, Copeoglossum nigropunctatum and Norops (Hamphreys and Ruxton, 2018; Bels and Russel, ortonii using active search (Heyer et al., 1994). When 2019). In lizards, death-feigning has been reported handled, two lizard exhibited alternately tail for several families (see Machado-Filho et al., 2018) display and death-feigning, and the other two species however current knowledge about death-feigning exhibited only death-feigning or tail display (Table 1, behaviour in Amazonian lizards is described only for Figure 1). The lizards were released at the collection the Gymnophthalmidae and Tropiduridae families (Vaz site. e Nunes et al., 2012; Machado-Filho et al., 2018; Teles Scorpion tail display mimicry (Batesian mimicry) is et al., 2018). widespread in gekkonids (Brandão and Motta, 2005), Lizards show a series of traits and defensive behaviours sphaerodactilids (Costa et al., 2009) and polychrotid to avoid attacks by predators (Greene, 1988). The most lizards (Pinto and Costa-Campos, 2017). Despite the fact reported defensive behaviour in lizards is tail loss and that death-feigning has been reported for some species escape (Greene 1988; Autumn and Han, 1989). Herein we report the Batesian mimicry and death-feigning displayed by four lizard species from the Brazilian Amazon. Table 1. Data on lizard species that performed antipredator behaviour at the Maracá-Jipioca Ecological Station, State of TableAmapá, 1. Data onnorthern lizard species coast thatof Brazil. performed antipredator behaviour at the Maracá- Jipioca Ecological Station, State of Amapá, northern coast of Brazil.

Family/Species Antipredator behaviour Gekkonidae Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818) Tail display, Death-feigning Sphaerodactylidae ¹ Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Ciências Gonatodes humeralis (Guichenot, 1855) Tail display, Death-feigning Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Mabuyidae Campus Marco Zero do Equador, 68903-419, Macapá, Copeoglossum nigropunctatum (Spix, 1825) Death-feigning Amapá, Brazil. Dactyloidae * Correspondig author. Email: [email protected] Norops ortonii (Cope, 1868) Tail display

860 Jessica Stefany Costa Anaissi et al.

Figure 1. Defensive behaviours exhibited by Amazonian lizards (details see Table 1). A) Hemidactylus mabouia. B) Gonatodes humeralis. C) Copeoglossum nigropunctatum. D) Norops ortonii.

of lizards, this behaviour is still poorly documented and Iranildo Coutinho (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da awaits further study. Here we aim to provide the first Biodiversidade) for granting the necessary research permissions reports of death-feigning behaviour of Hemidactylus and for logistical support and the forest fire crew members for fieldwork assistance. mabouia, Gonatodes humeralis and Copeoglossum nigropunctatum and the first record of scorpion mimicry for Norops ortonii. References Autumn, K., Han, B. (1989): Mimicry of scorpions by juvenile Acknowledgements. We are grateful to Reuber Brandão for lizards, Teratoscincus roborowskii (Gekkonidae). Chinese suggestions and their critical reviews of the manuscript. We thank Herpetological Research 2: 60–64. Records for mimicry and death-feigning in four lizards, State of Amapá, Brazil 861

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Accepted by Michael Jowers