Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis)
ABSTRACT In some animals, males use colorful ornaments or badges to visually communicate with conspecifics. These traits can be condition‐dependent, suggesting that environmental changes could impact the intensity of male sexual signals. Drastic habitat changes caused by urbanization can act as phys...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70915 |
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| author | Breanna J. Putman Bayley Stevens Nina A. Fresco Emily R. Urquidi |
| author_facet | Breanna J. Putman Bayley Stevens Nina A. Fresco Emily R. Urquidi |
| author_sort | Breanna J. Putman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT In some animals, males use colorful ornaments or badges to visually communicate with conspecifics. These traits can be condition‐dependent, suggesting that environmental changes could impact the intensity of male sexual signals. Drastic habitat changes caused by urbanization can act as physiological stressors, potentially affecting male signaling traits through changes to condition or immune function. Here, we quantified the effects of urbanization on ventral patch size and correlates of patch expression, namely body size, body condition, corticosterone concentrations, and ectoparasites in male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis). We compared three aspects of male ventral color patches between urban and natural populations: area of the throat patch, total area of the paired belly patches, and total area of the black borders of the belly patches. All three area measurements across both habitat types were positively related to body size, and total belly patch area was positively related to body condition, indicating that these traits may signal male competitive ability and/or quality. Males from urban populations had larger throat patches than those from natural populations after controlling for body size. This difference in patch size was associated with a difference in probability of ectoparasite infection, but not with differences in corticosterone concentrations or body condition between urban and natural populations. Our results may indicate an effect of urbanization on immune function affecting male patch expression, although this idea remains untested. Overall, we show that urbanization can impact male sexual traits, which may have repercussions for visual communication in urban environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37fa8e3bcafb4c069e732d276c62af13 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-37fa8e3bcafb4c069e732d276c62af132025-08-20T03:51:30ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-02-01152n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70915Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis)Breanna J. Putman0Bayley Stevens1Nina A. Fresco2Emily R. Urquidi3Department of Biology California State University, San Bernardino CaliforniaDepartment of Biology California State University, San Bernardino CaliforniaDepartment of Biology California State University, San Bernardino CaliforniaDepartment of Biology California State University, San Bernardino CaliforniaABSTRACT In some animals, males use colorful ornaments or badges to visually communicate with conspecifics. These traits can be condition‐dependent, suggesting that environmental changes could impact the intensity of male sexual signals. Drastic habitat changes caused by urbanization can act as physiological stressors, potentially affecting male signaling traits through changes to condition or immune function. Here, we quantified the effects of urbanization on ventral patch size and correlates of patch expression, namely body size, body condition, corticosterone concentrations, and ectoparasites in male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis). We compared three aspects of male ventral color patches between urban and natural populations: area of the throat patch, total area of the paired belly patches, and total area of the black borders of the belly patches. All three area measurements across both habitat types were positively related to body size, and total belly patch area was positively related to body condition, indicating that these traits may signal male competitive ability and/or quality. Males from urban populations had larger throat patches than those from natural populations after controlling for body size. This difference in patch size was associated with a difference in probability of ectoparasite infection, but not with differences in corticosterone concentrations or body condition between urban and natural populations. Our results may indicate an effect of urbanization on immune function affecting male patch expression, although this idea remains untested. Overall, we show that urbanization can impact male sexual traits, which may have repercussions for visual communication in urban environments.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70915colorful ornamentsglucocorticoidsphrynosomatidaesexual signalsteroid hormonesticks |
| spellingShingle | Breanna J. Putman Bayley Stevens Nina A. Fresco Emily R. Urquidi Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) Ecology and Evolution colorful ornaments glucocorticoids phrynosomatidae sexual signal steroid hormones ticks |
| title | Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) |
| title_full | Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) |
| title_short | Effects of Urbanization on Ventral Patch Size and Phenotypic Correlates of Patch Expression in Male Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) |
| title_sort | effects of urbanization on ventral patch size and phenotypic correlates of patch expression in male western fence lizards sceloporus occidentalis |
| topic | colorful ornaments glucocorticoids phrynosomatidae sexual signal steroid hormones ticks |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70915 |
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