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Testing Visual Sensitivity to the Speed and Direction of Motion in Lizards
Published on: December 14, 2006
Convergent evolution of kin-based sociality in a lizard
Alison R Davis1, Ammon Corl, Yann Surget-Groba
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|October 8, 2010
Summary
Social lizards (Xantusia vigilis) form stable, kin-based groups through delayed offspring dispersal, mirroring patterns seen in birds and mammals. This suggests convergent evolution of sociality, potentially linked to live birth (viviparity).
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Herpetology
Background:
- Extensive theory exists on kin-based social groups in birds and mammals.
- Comparing these to social reptiles can reveal factors promoting independent origins of vertebrate sociality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate kin group formation and stability in the social lizard Xantusia vigilis.
- To compare reptilian kin dynamics with those in birds and mammals.
Main Methods:
- A 5-year mark-recapture study.
- DNA microsatellite analysis to determine relatedness within social groups.
Main Results:
- Xantusia vigilis are highly sedentary, with groups often forming via delayed offspring dispersal.
- Juvenile-inclusive groups showed higher relatedness than adult-only groups.
- Groups with nuclear family members were more stable than those with less-related individuals.
Conclusions:
- Xantusia vigilis aggregations exhibit patterns of kin sociality consistent with avian and mammalian systems, indicating convergent evolution.
- Kin-based sociality in lizards may arise as a byproduct of viviparity, facilitating prolonged mother-offspring interaction and delayed dispersal.
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