2020 VOL. 22: 202001 ECOTROPICA DOI: 10.30427/ecotrop202001 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY SHORT COMMUNICATION NOCTURNAL FORAGING ACTIVITY BY THE LIZARD AMEIVA AMEIVA (SQUAMATA: TEIIDAE) UNDER ARTIFICIAL LIGHT Fabrício Hiroiuki Oda1, Priscilla Guedes Gambale2, Vinicius Guerra3, Rogério Pereira Bastos2 1 Departamento de Química Biológica, Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioprospecção Molecular, Universidade Regional do Cariri – Campus Pimenta, 63105-00, Crato, Ceará, Brasil 2 Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Herpetologia e Comportamento Animal, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Avenida Esperança, s/n – Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil 3 Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Manejo de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal do Acre, 69920-900, Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil * Corresponding Author: Fabrício Hiroiuki Oda, [email protected] Keywords: artificial illumination, Cerrado, foraging activity, light pollution, opportunistic feeding, urbanization INTRODUCTION 2006). The effects that this light pollution has on amphibi- ans and reptiles, however, remain poorly studied (Perry & Urbanization is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss Fisher 2006, Perry et al. 2008, Maurer et al. 2019). Among and biological homogenization in developed and less diurnal reptiles, anecdotal information about the effects of developed countries (Pauchard et al. 2006, Güneralp et al. artificial light is available mainly for lizard species (Perry et 2013, Piano et al. 2019). Several studies have focused on al. 2008). However, there are no records for lizards of the a variety of cascading effects of urbanization that have family Teiidae. Here, we report, for the first time, a case of impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as nocturnal foraging behavior under artificial light by the changes in biogeochemistry, climate, hydrological sys- Giant Ameiva (Ameiva ameiva) – a known diurnal teiid lizard. tems, and local temperature (see comments in Güneralp We also update the list of diurnal lizard species known to et al. 2013). A problem associated with urbanization, the respond to artificial light provided by Perry et al. (2008). occurrence of artificial light at night (also referred to as Ameiva ameiva is a medium-sized diurnal lizard that is light pollution), has transformed nightscapes, with many widely distributed throughout Central and South America studies reporting negative and, even, deadly effects for (Hoogmoed & de Avila-Pires 1989, Ibáñez et al. 2019). The biodiversity (Hölker et al. 2010, Gaston & Bennie 2014, species is commonly found in urban areas, where it takes Gaston et al. 2015, Owens & Lewis 2018). The presence of advantage of disturbed environments due to its oppor- artificial light increases nocturnal ambient illumination tunistic behavior (Simmons et al. 2005). Behavioral obser- and creates a new habitat termed the “night-light niche” vations of A. ameiva were made during a herpetological (Garber 1978). The use of the night-light niche by diurnal survey in the vicinity of human habitations in a low-density species has important biological consequences because it urban area in the municipality of Niquelândia (14º09’56”S, alters their daily activity patterns (Longcore & Rich 2004). 48º20’12”W, WGS84), northern Goiás State, central Brazil The daily cycle of light and dark is necessary for the main- (Figure 1, see study site description in Oda et al. 2017). A bib- tainance of life-sustaining behaviors such as foraging, rest, liographic search was conducted (using the Google Scho- protection from predators and reproduction (Owens & lar literature search engine) to update the list of Perry et al. Lewis 2018, Czarnecka et al. 2019, Touzot et al. 2019). (2008) of diurnal lizard species known to respond to artifi- Ecological consequences of artificial light for different cial light. The search terms used were: “nocturnal activity”, taxonomic groups have been reviewed (Rich & Longcore “artificial light”, and “reptiles”. The journals Herpetological © The Author(s). Published under the Fabrício Hiroiuki Oda, Priscilla Guedes Gambale, Vinicius Guerra, Rogério Pereira Bastos Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License 1 001-Ecotropica_short_communication-V3.indd 1 12-08-2020 19:50:44 SHORT COMMUNICATION ECOTROPICA Review (1967–2019), Herpetological Bulletin (2008–2018), also have positive impacts for diurnal lizard species that are Herpetology Notes (2008–2020), Herpetozoa (1988–2020), capable of exploiting the night-light niche. Since power- and Mesoamerican Herpetology (2014–2018) were also ful light emitters also serve as external heat sources that searched for articles and natural history notes. References allow animals to maintain their body temperature within cited by publications recovered by the primary bibliogra- thermal safety margins (Afsar et al. 2018), diurnal lizards phic search were also located. can take advantage of them to extend their period of fora- At 20:18 h, during a nocturnal survey on 3 April 2006, ging activity. Another advantage, observed in brown anole we observed an adult Ameiva ameiva foraging on the lizards exposed to artificial light in the laboratory, is incre- edge of a paved road near a forest remnant (Figure 1). For ased growth and reproductive output, thus improving fit- approximately 10 minutes, the lizard fed on insects that ness (Thawley & Kolbe 2020). In the present study, Ameiva fell to the ground after being attracted to the artificial ameiva likely took advantage of the night-light niche for illumination of a streetlight. The lizard fled into the forest opportunistic feeding (Garber 1978), since light emitters remnant after being disturbed by our presence. Records attract insects (Perry et al. 2008). They also used this niche of diurnal lizards responding to artificial light include to avoiding our presence, since unlit parts of roads provide species of the families Agamidae, Corytophanidae, Dacty- escape routes (Afsar et al. 2018). loidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Leiocephalidae, Liolaemi- Negative and positive impacts of artificial light likely dae, Phrynosomatidae, Scincidae, Sphaeradactylidae, and play important roles in determining which diurnal lizard Tropiduridae (Table 1). This report, therefore, is the first of species can exploit urbanized areas (Thawley & Kolbe a lizard of the family Teiidae responding to artificial light 2020). Further research, including experimental and field and the first record of a lizard responding to artificial light studies, are needed to better understand how the activity in Brazil. patterns and thermal behaviors of diurnal lizard species The bibliographic search identified twelve studies on respond to light pollution. the effects of artificial light on nine diurnal lizard species, seven of which were new records for the list of Perry et ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS al. (2008). The new records provided by the present study increase the number of diurnal lizard species known to res- We thank: Travis Longcore and David Bird for their valu- pond to artificial light to 41. Most of these records (75%) able help with the bibliography; Anglo American Brasil were in the Neotropics, especially in Central America (Table for having provided both financial and logistical support 1). The greatest number of reports in the Neotropics were during fieldwork; and, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa da related to native and invasive Anolis lizards (49% of the Universidade Federal de Goiás for granting the master’s diurnal lizard species recorded in this review), which com- scholarships to Fabrício H. Oda (2005–2006). Rogério P. monly forage or are otherwise active near artificial light in Bastos thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento urban habitats (Perry et al. 2008, French et al. 2018). The Científico e Tecnológico for providing a research fellowship data show that considerable knowledge gaps are yet to be (process #304363/2010-3). VG thanks CAPES/PROCAD-AM filled with regard to field sampling in different biogeogra- 1701/2018 for providing post-doctoral fellowship (Grant phic regions, but especially in highly-urbanized countries #88887.374100/2019-00). Finally, we are grateful to the with diverse reptile faunas such as Australia, Mexico and Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade/ Brazil (Uetz & Hošek 2019). Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e Exposure to artificial light has threatened a variety of Anfíbios (ICMBio/RAN) (process #154-05) for providing the invertebrate and vertebrate organisms (Rich & Longcore collection permit. 2006). For nocturnal invertebrate taxa, such as insects, artificial light negatively affects movement, foraging, REFERENCES reproduction, and predation (Lewis et al. 2020, Owens et Afsar M, Sahin MK, Afsar B, Çiçek K, Tok CV (2018) Data on nocturnal acti- al. 2020). For nocturnal vertebrate taxa, such as bats, artifi- vity of Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) (Sauria: Lacertidae) in central cial light negatively affects a range of behaviors including black sea region, Turkey. 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