Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese academy of sciences, Chengdu, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Integr Zool. 2021 Sep;16(5):729-740. doi: 10.1111/1749-4877.12536. Epub 2021 Apr 5.
Understanding the mechanism underlying signal variation is an important goal in the study of animal communication. Several potential causes have been proposed for signal variation, including environmental noise (e.g. wind, sound), energy limitation, and predation risk, among others, but the physiological control of many signals are often unclear. Here, we examined the correlation between tail display signal variation and energy metabolic activity using an Asian agamid lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii. Individual tail display signals were observed in the field, and blood lactate concentration as well as 2 energy metabolic enzymes was assayed. Our results showed that average tail coil speed was positively associated with blood lactate concentration, while tail coil duration was negatively associated with LDH activity. We also found that average tail lash speed was positively associated with blood lactate concentration, suggesting that the tail display behavior of P. vlangalii was regulated by anaerobic metabolism. Furthermore, the correlation between tail display behavior and energy metabolism was not sex-dependent. Taken together, our research provides insight into the physiological mechanisms underlying tail display variation in lizards, and suggests that tail display variation likely transmits important information on individual body condition and resource holding potential.
理解信号变异的机制是动物通讯研究的一个重要目标。已经提出了几种可能导致信号变异的原因，包括环境噪声（例如风、声音）、能量限制和捕食风险等，但许多信号的生理控制往往不清楚。在这里，我们使用亚洲鬣蜥 Phrynocephalus vlangalii 研究了尾巴展示信号变异与能量代谢活动之间的相关性。在野外观察个体尾巴展示信号，并测定血液中乳酸盐浓度和 2 种能量代谢酶的含量。我们的结果表明，尾巴卷曲的平均速度与血液乳酸盐浓度呈正相关，而尾巴卷曲的持续时间与 LDH 活性呈负相关。我们还发现尾巴快速摆动的平均速度与血液乳酸盐浓度呈正相关，这表明 P. vlangalii 的尾巴展示行为受无氧代谢的调节。此外，尾巴展示行为与能量代谢之间的相关性不受性别影响。总之，我们的研究深入了解了蜥蜴尾巴展示变异的生理机制，并表明尾巴展示变异可能传递了有关个体身体状况和资源持有潜力的重要信息。
