Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Flinders University, School of Biological Sciences. / Typescript (bound). Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-03-20T21:53:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 GustavoAlexandreBragaDeCarvalho_DISSERT.pdf: 2122953 bytes, checksum: 792fb8a20dba93e5a2c8144f7c4e29d0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-03-23T19:10:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 GustavoAlexandreBragaDeCarvalho_DISSERT.pdf: 2122953 bytes, checksum: 792fb8a20dba93e5a2c8144f7c4e29d0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-23T19:10:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GustavoAlexandreBragaDeCarvalho_DISSERT.pdf: 2122953 bytes, checksum: 792fb8a20dba93e5a2c8144f7c4e29d0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-27 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / A colora??o pode exercer as mais variadas fun??es dentre os diversos grupos de animais, e, especialmente em lagartos, essa variabilidade funcional ? relativamente alta, podendo atuar, por exemplo, como sinaliza??o reprodutiva, sinaliza??o social e estrat?gia anti-preda??o. Sendo que, a colora??o adotada pelas esp?cies pode variar dependendo das caracter?sticas f?sicas do meio (e.g. iluminante e background) e de fatores bi?ticos (e.g. sistema visual do observador), fazendo com que diferentes colora??es sejam selecionadas de acordo com o ambiente sensorial em quest?o. O objetivo desse trabalho foi testar a hip?tese do direcionamento sensorial na colora??o da cauda de duas esp?cies de lagartos gymnophitalmideos (Vanzosaura multiscutata e Micrablepharus maximiliani). Para isso foram realizadas coletas pontuais em tr?s diferentes ecossistemas (caatinga, restinga e mata atl?ntica) e em duas diferentes esta??es do ano (esta??o chuvosa e seca). A colora??o dos animais, assim como do substrato circundante e do espectro de ilumina??o solar, foi mensurada atrav?s de um espectrofot?metro e essas informa??es foram inseridas em uma modelagem visual para lagartos e poss?veis predadores. Os resultados mostraram picos de reflet?ncia de luz UV nas superf?cies mensuradas das duas esp?cies, o que pode ser o respons?vel por aumentar o contraste para animais com vis?o UV. Lagartos foi o fen?tipo que apresentou melhores resultados na detec??o da cauda das duas esp?cies. Por outro lado, as demais partes do corpo, supostamente teriam fun??o de camuflagem, devido ao seu baixo contraste com o substrato. Tamb?m encontramos uma varia??o do contraste de cor entre animal e substrato para diferentes fen?tipos visuais, encontrados em diferentes observadores. Sendo assim, conclui-se que a comunica??o intra-especifica pode ser o principal fator a influenciar a colora??o consp?cua da cauda das duas esp?cies. Al?m disso, a colora??o azul e vermelha pode cumprir em determinados momentos fun??es diferentes. Com a cauda vermelha, cumprindo fun??o de camuflagem para lagartos, por exemplo. / The coloration can peform a variety of functions among the various groups of animals, and, especially in lizards, this functional variability is relatively high, may act for exemplo as reproduction signaling, social signal and anti-predations strategy. Thus, the color adopted by the species may vary depending on the characteristics of the environment (e.g. Illuminant and background) and biotic factors (e.g. visual system of the observer), so that different colors are selected in according to the sensory environment in question. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of sensory drive in the tail coloration of two species of lizards gymnophitalmideos (Vanzosaura multiscutata and Micrablepharus maximiliani). For this were conducted collects samples in three different ecosystems (Caatinga, Sandbank and Atlantic Rain Forest) and in two different seasons (rainy and dry season). The color of the animals, as well as the surrounding substrate and the solar light spectrum was measured by a spectrophotometer and these information were inserted in a visual modeling for lizards and potential predators. The results showed peaks of the UV light in the surfaces of the two species measured, which may be responsible to increase contrast to animals with UV vision. The phenotype of lizard was the one that showed best results in detection of the tail of these two species. On the other hand, the other parts of the body, would supposedly have camouflage function, because of their low contrast with the substrate. We also found a variation of the color contrast between the animal and substrate for different visual phenotypes found in different observers. Therefore, it is concluded that the intraspecific communication may be the main factor affecting the conspicuous coloration of the tail of the two species. Moreover, the blue and red color may exert different functions at certain times. With the red tail fulfilling camouflage function to lizards, for example.

When species compete for resources, in a stable homogeneous environment, there are two possible outcomes. The first is that one species will out-compete the other and exclude it from the environment. This is known as the competitive exclusion principle. The second is that both species will manage to coexist. Coexistence can only occur if the species’ niches are differentiated such that interspecific competition is minimised, or eliminated. This outcome is known as resource partitioning. Two closely related Australian skink species of the Egernia genus, Egernia multiscutata and Egernia whitii, are abundant and sympatric on Wedge Island in South Australia’s Spencer Gulf. The species are morphologically very similar and appear to have very similar life histories and habitat requirements. Ostensibly, they would compete for limiting resources in this environment. This thesis is the first investigation into resource partitioning in this previously unstudied model organism. I report the results of multi-faceted investigations into the coexistence of the skinks, E. multiscutata and E. whitii on Wedge Island and the evidence for, and mechanisms of, any facultative resource partitioning between them. Study methods involved a transect survey of most of Wedge Island to determine the species’ distributions and any evidence for resource partitioning; a morphological comparison to investigate any potential competitive advantages of either species; a habitat choice experiment to establish retreat-site preferences in the absence of interspecific interference; and, a series of staged dyadic encounter experiments to investigate interspecific competitive interactions. Resource partitioning was evidenced by differential distributions of the species among substrates containing the elements required for permanent refuge shelters. This partitioning was not mediated by avoidance of particular substrates but by the presence of the opponent species, combined with attraction to suitable substrates. Asymmetries in some morphological characters were found to confer a potential competitive advantage to E. multiscutata in agonistic encounters with E. whitii. Both species were found to have the same refuge site preferences when interference competition was experimentally removed. This result was not concordant with observed resource partitioning in the field and suggests that the habitat choices of both species are modified by the presence of the opponent species. Analyses of staged dyadic encounter experiments showed that E. multiscutata was more likely to gain greater access to a contested habitat resource and more likely to exclude E. whitii from the resource than vice-versa. Nevertheless, the outcome of competitive interactions was not completely deterministic and there was some tolerance of co-habitation. E. multiscutata’s competitive advantage was attributable largely to its greater mass and head dimensions relative to snout to vent length. However, differential behavioural responses to the threat of larger opponent size also played an important part in resource partitioning between the species.