Home-range size and overlap within an introduced population of the Cuban Knight Anole, Anolis equestris (Squamata: Iguanidae)

Abstract

Home-range size and overlap within an introduced population of the Cuban Knight Anole, Anolis equestris (Squamata: Iguanidae). Many studies have investigated the spatial relationships of terrestrial lizards, but arboreal species remain poorly studied because they are difficult to observe. The conventional view of homerange size and overlap among territorial, polygynous species of lizards is that: (1) male home ranges are larger than those of females; (2) male home ranges usually encompass, or substantially overlap, those of several females; and (3) male home-range overlap varies but often is minimal, but female home ranges frequently overlap extensively. However, the paucity of pertinent studies makes it difficult to generalize these patterns to arboreal lizards. We investigated home-range size and overlap in the arboreal Knight Anole, Anolis equestris, and compared our findings to published homerange data for 15 other species of Anolis. Using radiotelemetry and markrecapture/resight techniques, we analyzed the home ranges of individuals from an introduced population of Knight Anoles in Miami, Florida. The home ranges of both sexes substantially overlapped those of the same- and different-sex individuals. In addition, male and female home ranges did not differ significantly, an unusual observation among lizard species. If one compares both male and female home ranges to those of other Anolis species, Knight Anoles have significantly larger home ranges, except for two species for which statistical comparisons were not possible. Our results suggest that home ranges and sexspecific spatial arrangements of canopy lizards may differ from those of more terrestrial species.