70-23,984 MARCELLINI, Dale Leroy, 1937- ETHOECOLOGY OF Hemidactylus frenatus (SAURIA, GEKKONIDAE) WITH EMPHASIS ON ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1970 Ecology f University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE ETHOECOLOGY OF Hemidactylus frenatus (SAURIA, GEKKONIDAE) WITH EMPHASIS ON ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY DALE L: MARCELLINI Norman, Oklahoma 1970 ETHOECOLOGY OF Hemidactylus frenatus (SAURIA, GEKKONIDAE) WITH EMPHASIS ON ACOUSTIC BEHAVIOR AEPROVED BY j M m ______ DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to Dr. Charles C . Carpenter under whose direction this research was conducted; for his advice, for the use of space and equipment, and for the use of his literature files, I express my thanks. To my committee members, Drs. Hubert Frings, Keever Greer, and Paul Risser I give thanks for critically reading the manuscript, and for their contributions to my zoologi­ cal training. I am grateful to Dr. Robert Payne for his intellectual and technical aid in the sonagraphic analysis of the vocal­ izations . My studies could not have been completed without the financial assistance afforded me through assistantships in the department of zoology, and through an N.S.F. Trainee- ship grant. I would especially like to thank Mrs. Marjorie Bradley of the graduate college who handled my financial affairs pleasantly, efficiently and accurately. Numerous fellow graduate students deserve my apprecia­ tion for discussions and suggestions. Special thanks are given to Jan Sassaman who contributed invaluable assistance throughout this research. iii I am d«eply indobted to my friend Wayne Lawaon without whose companionship and help the field work could not have been adequately completed. Thomas Oauna, the owner of the Hotel Valles, deserves my fullest approciution for his understanding and aid during the field work. Kinaliy, 1 express my deepest gratitude to my wife Marcia who has not only contributed unending encouragement and expertise to the writing of this dissertation, but has provided an environment which has allowed me to bring my fullest attention to this work. IV I'AHLIC OK CO N TKNTS Pago LIST OK T A B L E S .............................................vlii LIST OK ILLUSTRAT] O N S ................................. ChaptOf I. INTRODUCTION ................................... I II. TAXONOMY ........................................ 3 III. DISTRIBUTION AND D I S P E R S A L ................... <j Disti'ibution................................. 3 D l t S p t ' t M a l # . ■ . a . a a a a a a a a a a 7 IVa E rilOKCOLOC.Y..................................... 10 Introduction ................................. iO Description ol Species .................... 10 Description of Region and Study Area . I 3 Physiography .............................. 13 Clim a t e ..................................... 13 V e g e t a t i o n ................................. 18 Hotel and gro u n d s ......................... 20 Methods and Materials ...................... 24 Period of s t u d y ........................... 24 Methods of working study a r e a ............ 24 Techniques of capture ..................... 25 Procedures after capture ................ 27 Measurements ............................ 27 Habitat d a t a ............................ 28 Sex determination....................... 28 M a r k i n g ..................................... 29 Collection of behavioral d a t a ............ 32 Results and Discussion ..................... 33 Sex r a t i o ................................... 33 S i z e ........................................ 36 G r o w t h ..................................... 42 T a i l ........................................ 44 L e n g t h ................................... 44 B r e a k a g e ................................. 47 Chap< or l’njçt' Slioddinji;...................................... 1 I Popiil<i( ion di'Msily .uul h i oiiinMM............. 12 rhonii.'»! r«* 1 i» ( i oiish i p M ..................... 10 I’t' r i 0(1 ii i l y ................................. 00 Antiiwi 1 ...................................... 0(> D i o l ........................................ 72 Habitat prol'oromo.......................... 1) i s t r i bii t i o n ............................... 7W Poivdl Mltl'................................. lloini' raiigo inovoiiH’iit and t «m t i t.ory .... Homo I ango and inovoniont ................ I'orritory................................. 9^ Itrooding at riu tn r o .......................... 103 breeding cycle ............................... 101 Feeding h a b i t s ................................. • OO hoc OHIO t. io n ................................... 110 Eliminative behavior........................ M 2 Escape behavior ............................ 113 Animal a s s o c i a t e s .......................... M 6 Social behavior ............................ Jl8 Courtship and copulation................ 1 18 I'a i I wa g ................................... 126 A g g r (? s s i o ................................. 127 V. ACOHSriC bEllAVLOH............................... I 32 in t roduclion................................... 132 Methods and Materials ........................ 134 Results and Discussion........................ 1 36 Mu 11 i p 1 e c h i 1- p c i 1 ........................ 136 C o n t e x t ................................... 137 Description ............................... 139 Effects ol.' temperature on c a l l ......... 143 Temporal p a t t e r n .......................... 1 41 Calling p e r i o d i c i t y ..................... l49 Churr c a l l .................................... Ill C o n t e x t .................................... Ill Description ............................... 116 Single chii'p c a l l .......................... 117 C o n t e x t .................................... l60 Description ............................... l6l Species-specific aspects of multiple chirp c a l l ................................. l6l VI. FUNCTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MULTIPLE CHIRP C A L L ...................................... 167 Introduction .................................... I67 Materials and Methods ........................ I68 vi Chapter Pago Experimental apparatus.................... 168 Experimental animals ....................... 173 Experimental p r o c e d u r e s .................. 173 Ue su i t s ........................................ 17^ Discussion...................................... 177 VI i. S U M M A R Y .......................................... 182 EITERATURE Cl IE I)........................................ 19» Vll LIST OF TABLÉS Table Page 1. Weekly temperature, relative humidity and precipitation data for Atudy area March 1 to May 31» 1969 excluding week of May 10 . 15 2. Code for marking lizards by toe-clipping . 30 3 . Sex ratios of Hemidactylus frenatus by size with results of Chi-square tests. Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May 19^9 .... 34 4. Average growth rate per month by sex and snout-vent length for Hemidactylus frenatus from Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March- May 1 9 6 9 .................. - ....................... 43 5 . Frequency of tail breakage by sex and type of breakage in Hemidactylus frenatus from Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May 1969 .... 49 6. Estimated number of Hemidactylus frenatus present in two census areas at the Hotel Valles, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico during March I969 ............................ 54 7 . Estimated density and biomass of Hemidactylus frenatus on two census areas at the Hotel Valles, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico during March I969 .............. » .................. 54 8. Air, Cloacal, and substrate temperature data with t-values for the differences between the means for 138 captures of Hemidac tylus frenatus from Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May I969 ............................ 59 9 . Comparison of temperature data of seven groups of diurnal lizards with data from Hemidactylus frenatus.. .......................... 64 viii Table Page 10. Perch height by sex and building of Hemidactylus frenatus from Ciudad Valles, S.L.ÿ., Mexico, March-May 19&9 ................ 8l 11. Number of Hemidactylus frenatus on various substrate types and area covered by substrate types, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March- May 1 9 6 9 ............- ........................... 84 12. Number of male and female Hemidactylus frenatus on vertical and horizontal surfaces, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May I969. 84 1 3. Orientation of male and female Hemidactylus frenatus on vertical surfaces. Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May I969 . 8? 14. Average distance between captures for male Hemidactylus frenatus on the Main Building, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May 1969. 90 15. Average distance between captures for female Hemidactylus frenatus on the Main Building, Ciudad Valles, S,L.P., Mexico, March-May J969 - 91 16. Average distance between captures for male Hemidactylus frenatus on the Dolia Maria, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May I969- 92 17 . Average distance between captures for female Hemidactylus frenatus on the Dona Maria, Ciudad Valles, S.L.P., Mexico, March-May 1969. 93 1 8 . Length of lizard compared to distance between captures. Data from Tables l4 through 17 • » 95 1 9 . Position of males grip on female at initial hold and at copulation for