Phillips J A, Alberts A C, Pratt N C
Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species, Zoological Society of San Diego, CA 92112.
Physiol Behav. 1993 Jan;53(1):81-8. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(93)90014-7.
Growth rates, resource use, and ontogeny of behavior patterns were examined in captive groups of juvenile green iguanas (Iguana iguana). Four groups were housed in large arenas where supplemental heat and perch sites were limited, whereas two control groups were housed in similar arenas without limited resources. Growth, frequency and types of displays, behavioral interactions, and the use of resources were monitored. By 35-70 days of age, male hatchlings in arenas with limited resources could be classified into two groups: rapid growing dominant individuals and slow growing subordinate individuals. Growth and dominance were not correlated with size of individuals at hatching. Digestive efficiency of males was related to dominance and access to limited resources, but all lizards exhibited a similar digestive efficiency when maintained at a constant ambient temperature. Dominant males used the resources, especially supplemental heat sources, twice as often as subordinate males. The dominant/subordinate relationships and accompanying skew in body size were not evident in the control groups, or in females of any group. At 105 days, control groups were introduced to conditions with limited resources, resulting in increased aggressive interactions and divergence in growth rates. Onset of adult behavioral patterns was related to body size, and the species-specific signature display was observed in dominant males up to several months before subordinate males. These results indicate that male green iguanas establish a dominance hierarchy immediately posthatching when resources are limited, and as a consequence, both physiological and behavioral maturation are delayed in subordinate individuals.
在人工饲养的幼年绿鬣蜥（Iguana iguana）群体中，对其生长速率、资源利用和行为模式的个体发育进行了研究。四组绿鬣蜥被饲养在大型场地中，在这些场地中，补充热量和栖息位点是有限的，而另外两组对照组被饲养在资源不受限的类似场地中。对生长、展示的频率和类型、行为互动以及资源利用情况进行了监测。到35至70日龄时，处于资源有限场地中的雄性幼体可分为两组：快速生长的优势个体和生长缓慢的从属个体。生长和优势地位与孵化时个体的大小无关。雄性的消化效率与优势地位和获取有限资源的机会有关，但当所有蜥蜴保持在恒定的环境温度下时，它们表现出相似的消化效率。优势雄性使用资源，尤其是补充热源的频率是从属雄性的两倍。在对照组或任何组的雌性中，优势/从属关系以及随之而来的体型偏差并不明显。在105日龄时，对照组被引入到资源有限的环境中，导致攻击性行为互动增加，生长速率出现差异。成年行为模式的出现与体型有关，在优势雄性中比从属雄性早几个月就观察到了该物种特有的标志性展示。这些结果表明，当资源有限时，雄性绿鬣蜥在孵化后立即建立起优势等级制度，因此，从属个体的生理和行为成熟都会延迟。
