Male-male Competition of apalura swinhonis.

• Main Authors: Ai-Ling Lee, 李艾陵
• Other Authors: 林雨德
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/74284495398721179019

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 生態學與演化生物學研究所 === 101 === The fightings between males of a species often involve competition for reproductive females or resources required for female reproduction. Factors contribute to the win vs. lose of a fight is an important topic in behavioral ecology. Taiwan’s endemic Swinhoe’s tree lizards (Japalura swinhonis) show strong sexual dimorphism. The males are territorial, and often display and fight between individuals. This study integrated indoor and field experiments to explore the influence of morphometric and immune characteristics, and aggressive behaviors of male Swinhoe''s tree lizards on the outcome of fighting and home range quality. I conducted indoor dyadic encounter trials on wild-caught males in 2011 from April to September, and used an ethogram to quantify aggressiveness of individuals during fighting. The results showed that: the factors that influence win or lose are all aggression indices, among which the level of aggressiveness (total aggression score) was the best explanatory power on the outcome. Snout -vent length was the only morphometric characteristics that affect the level of aggressiveness. Furthermore, I conducted a home range study on a wild population in Taipei Botanical Garden. The results showed: while lower canopy coverage home ranges had more number of overlapping males and females. Tail length was the only male characteristics associated with the quality of home ranges.