Home Field Advantage: Sprint Sensitivity to Ecologically Relevant Substrates in Lizards

Effectively moving across variable substrates is important to all terrestrial animals. Much attention has been given to the effects of different substrates on locomotor performance in an attempt to link ecology and morphology. Sprint sensitivity is the decrease in sprint speed due to change in substrate. This study measures sprint sensitivity to substrate rugosity among six lizard species that occupy rocky, sandy, and/or semi-arboreal habitats. Lizards that use rocky habitats are less sensitive to changes in substrate rugosity, followed by arboreal lizards, and then by lizards that use sandy habitats. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that using rocks is highly correlated with decreased sprint sensitivity, long toes, and wide bodies. These results are discussed in the context of the adaptive significance of substrate selection, stability, and the evolution of sprint speed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Biology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Collins, Clint Edward

Contributors dc:contributor

• Michelle Cawthorn
• Steve Vives

• ETD
• Morphology
• Lizard
• Evolution
• Substrate
• Ecomorphology
• Bipedal
• Speed
• Habitat
• Sprinting
• Lizards

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/761

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1761