Social behavior of dwarf geckos (Sphaerodactylus): a comparative repertoire

Abstract

Variation in sexual dichromatism of dwarf geckos may affect the ability to use visual signals in sex recognition. Social interactions of nine species of dwarf geckos, covering the range of color pattern variation, were staged and videotaped in captivity. Sequential and nonsequential behavioral data allowed comparing species repertoires, uncovering associations between behavioral traits and variation in dichromatism, exploring potential sex recognition cues, and exploring potential functions of the most common courtship and threat signals. Males and females shared a similar social behavioral repertoire but some homotypical behaviors and different behavioral profiles were common to all species. A correlation between the use of threat signals and variation in sexual dichromatism was the most noticeable behavioral correlate among species. Whereas males from dimorphic species restricted the use of threat signals to agonistic contexts, males from monochromatic species displayed threat signals in agonistic and sexual contexts. All species seemed able to recognize conspecifics' sex through visual cues, but semiochemicals seemed to provide the most reliable sex recognition cues. Contextual and sequential data reinforced the previous suggestion that headbobs and stiff are the main courtship and threat signals, respectively. Stiff in monochromatic species, however, may have been co-opted to play a role in courtship as well.

KEY WORDS:

• Sphaerodactylus
• sexual dichromatism
• sex recognition
• sequentialanalysis

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank A. Pérez-Asso, L. González, A. Silva, and L. González for their assistance with fieldwork in Puerto Rico, V. González for logistic support, L.M. Díaz for donating eggs of Cuban Sphaerodactylus and sharing information on their biology, and anonymous referees for reading the manuscript and providing critical comments.