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Tail autotomy and extinction in Mediterranean lizards. A preliminary study of continental and insular populations
Author(s) -
PérezMellado V.,
Corti C.,
Lo Cascioa P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb02799.x
Subject(s) - autotomy , biology , lizard , extinction (optical mineralogy) , predation , mediterranean climate , lacertidae , ecology , predator , mediterranean sea , sauria , paleontology
Tail autotomy is one of the main anti‐predator mechanisms of lacertid lizards, but it has been predicted that it is only retained in its full capacity when its benefits exceed its costs (Arnold, 1988). To test this hypothesis, ease of tail shedding was examined in a number of continental and insular lacertid lizard populations, each of which showed a different shedding capacity. Tails are shed more easily in those continental and insular populations where there is a greater probability of predation. In insular populations not subjected to strong predation, the tail tends to be retained. The relationship of these findings to insular Mediterranean lizard populations and to the extinction of the Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi are discussed.