Anolis proboscis
Anolis proboscis | |
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Female (left) and male (right) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Iguania |
Family: | Dactyloidae |
Genus: | Anolis |
Species: | A. proboscis
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Binomial name | |
Anolis proboscis Peters & Orces, 1956
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Anolis proboscis, commonly known as the horned anole, Ecuadorian horned anole
Description
Anolis proboscis has very short limbs and a small body. Four main movement behaviors have been observed: crawling (most common), walking, running, and jumping.[4]
Anolis proboscis has a total body length (excluding tail) of roughly 5–7.5 cm (2.0–3.0 in). Males, which are slightly larger than females, possess a conspicuous
Proboscis
One of the most notable features of the species is its proboscis - a pliable, blunt appendage extending beyond the snout approximately 85% of the head length.
Distribution and habitat
Based on the few localities known, the species inhabits montane forest habitats in the
Conservation
The species is currently classified as
The species was feared to be
Speciation
Among
Diet
The species is omnivorous and has a diverse diet. The stomach can hold anywhere between 4-16 prey items. A large array of different insects is preyed on, with the primary sources of food including caterpillars, coleopterans(beetles), hemipterans (bugs), dipterans (flies), and hymenoptera (bees and wasps). However, this species also eats pseudoscorpions, larvae, millipedes, spiders, and assorted plant material including flower petals, pieces of wood, and seeds.[5]
Mating
A number of different behaviours connected to mating behaviour have been recorded. Initially it was assumed that the proboscis played a role in reproduction, but this has not been confirmed.
Courtship
In order to attract a mate both males and females display their dewlaps, employing variations of extension lengths. Males have been seen with their dewlaps extended and their proboscis drooped downward while courting.[4] Males are able to slowly change the stiffness and direction of their horns when courting. Other courting behaviors that have been observed include swinging of the head from side to side, known as "proboscis flourishing", and up and down when approaching a female all while the dewlap is displayed, either half or fully extended.[7] Courtship is deemed successful if and when the females runs past the male and continues in the opposite direction which leads to the second stage of mating called chasing. The female may perform a push-up with her forelimbs along with a head-bob and extension of her dewlap in response to the male's courting.[7]
Chasing progresses when the female prompts the male to follow by running past him in the opposite direction. It involves the male following the female in quick short sprints one to three steps long while frequently bobbing their heads in the same pattern as seen in courtship. Chasing ends with the female arching her neck, or when the male begins to climb on her tail with his forelimbs.
Next, the stimulation stage begins when the male catches the female and the female arches her neck in response, signifying readiness for copulation. The male must mount the female and find a good position to copulate in. As the male does this, he is constantly rubbing her nape with the tip of his snout in order to stimulate the female and to elevate the female's rostral appendage.[7] Males have also been observed biting the female on the nape, which then stopped after copulation.[7]
Copulation
The copulation stage begins after the male and female have found an appropriate position together. Once this happens the male inserts one of his hemipenes into her cloaca.[7] There is no specific time length for copulation but mating ends when the male and female have separated. There are a variety of displays by the male that may occur after copulation, including head bobbing, extension of the dewlap, which the female may or may not respond to.[7]
Reproduction
Anolis Proboscis reproduces
Conflict between males
Male agonistic behaviors can occur when two males attempt to court the same female. Non-violent agonistic behaviors from males include attempts to display at each other, chase the other male away, open their mouths to display teeth, arch their neck, raise their backs and probosces, and keep their heads down.[7] They may also bring their rostral appendages against each other's faces, touching the opposing male with the tip or their snout, or perform slow tail undulations.[7] Further, the males have been observed performing a movement resembling a push-up, whereby he moves his body forward with his head and tail down, and then back, raising his head and tail in the process. During this display, the male's dewlaps will be extended, the tail curled up, and the proboscis straight.[14] These behaviors are intended to scare away the other males, potentially by making the male appear larger. They have also been recorded turning sideways and straightening out their body, extending their tongues, perhaps to accentuate their body length.[6] Violent agonistic behaviors can include biting and pushing of other males.[7] Agonistic behaviors can last as long as it takes for the other male to stop attempting courtship. Unlike many other reptile species with prominent proboscises, A. proboscis does not use the appendage as a weapon, and may even attempt to protect it when fighting.[14] During violent male-male interactions, the proboscis remains lifted, and some specimens bear scars, suggesting the appendage can be injured.[14] In general, the species appears to be less aggressive than other kinds of anoles, which falls in line with the behavior of other twig ecomorphs.[14] Unlike species like A. marcanoi or A. carolinensis, there are far fewer attempts at biting or "jaw locking" during male-male conflict.[14]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "SICB 2015: Anolis proboscis Display Behavior". Anole Annals. 2015-01-06.
- ^ "Efforts to save the rare 'Pinocchio lizard' which was once thought extinct". ScienceDaily.
- ^ S2CID 51899170.
- ^ a b c d e Arteaga A (2022) Pinocchio Anole (Anolis proboscis). In: Arteaga A, Bustamante L, Vieira J, Guayasamin JM (Eds) Reptiles of Ecuador: Life in the middle of the world. Available from: www.reptilesofecuador.com
- ^ a b c d e f g Inch, Ivan; Koppetsch, Thore; Bohme, Wolfgang (15 May 2022). "Pinocchio lizards and other lizards bearing rostral appendages − the peculiar habitus of the draconine agamid Harpesaurus tricinctus with highlights on its ecological implications and convergence with its New World equivalent, the dactyloid Anolis proboscis". Salamandra. 58 (2): 133 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ S2CID 91078845.
- ^ .
- ^ Almendariz, A. C.; Vogt, C. (2007). "Anolis proboscis (Squamata: Polychrotidae), Una lagartija rara pero no extinta" (PDF). Politécnica. 27 (4): Biología 7 133–135.
- ^ S2CID 34632653.
- ^ Main, D. (2013-10-04). "Once 'Extinct' Pinocchio Lizard Pokes His Nose Out". LiveScience.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- .
- S2CID 34632653.
- ^ a b c d e f Rodriguez, Diego (November 2015). "Insights into social interactions in the Ecuadorian horned anole, Anolis proboscis" (PDF). Pontifica Universidad Católica del Ecuador Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas. 1 (1): 8 – via CORE.
External links
- Media related to Anolis proboscis at Wikimedia Commons