How does one distinguish between cursorial and generalized terrestrial modes of life in lizards? I know that in mammals it is relatively easy to distinguish between a cursorial and non-cursorial species based on the former's much longer limbs, but this is less obvious in lizards. So how would one distinguish between a cursorial lizard like a collared lizard and a non-cursorial species like a chuckwalla or a monitor?
There aren't metrics that will consistently make this distinction across lizard taxa. Limb length in lizards, like mammals, is often a good indicator but can be misleading – sometimes long limbs are adapted to jumping, not sprinting (see Toro et al. 2004 for Anoles. I'm also finding this to be the case in at least one Podarcis species). How many species are you focused on differentiating between? A PCA/NMDS of a suite of limb and foot traits might help you distinguish between different locomotion types of a focused subset of species.
Two helpful papers that might set you on the right track are Vanhooydonck and van Damme 1999, and Verwaijen and van Damme 2007 (citations below). While they're lacertid-specific they'll give you more info and some good ideas for how to proceed.
Let me know if you have more follow up questions.
Colin
--
Toro, E., A. Herrel, and D. Irschick. 2004. The Evolution of Jumping Performance in Caribbean Anolis Lizards: Solutions to Biomechanical Trade‐Offs. The American Naturalist.
Vanhooydonck, B., and R. van Damme. 1999. Evolutionary relationships between body shape and habitat use in lacertid lizards. Evolutionary Ecology
Verwaijen, D., and R. van Damme. 2007. Does foraging mode mould morphology in lacertid lizards? Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
@Colin Donihue
I am mostly looking at aspects of limb proportions to see if limb proportions in lizards in general is correlated with ecological habitus, though the issue is figuring out ahead of time which lizards belong to which groups to follow up with further analyses (that is, identifying whether "generalized terrestrial" lizards significantly differ from "cursorial" lizards). Its more identifying which lizards go with which group that is the problem.
Cursorial organism are adapted specifically for fast movements on land or terrestrial habitats. Since lizards have very limited stored energy and very short home range, they are not well adapted for running fast and covering large distances. Hence we cannot say that these creatures are cursorial in a true sense. However, some agamid lizards in hilly areas and some skinks in desert habitats are adapted for fast and quick movements but for a very short while. Because the reserved energy gets expired quickly. Agamid lizards bear long digits with sharp and long claws that also help them in climbing trees and cliffs. On the other hand, some skinks have very short limbs with even three toes yet they can move fast on sand especially for movements under sand.
Basilisk's lizard can be quoted here as an example of cursorial lizard that uses his long digits for running over the surface of water. Therefore, among lizards, long digits could be an adaptation or identification of cursorial species.
This maybe useful to you:
https://jeb.biologists.org/content/215/5/774
https://www.ejmanager.com/mnstemps/3/3-1431857448.pdf?t=1564836312
With best regards,
Sudesh
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Applied Statistics
- Survey Design
- Questionnaire