Antipredator displays of the Cuban Groundlizard (<i>Pholidoscelis auberi</i>) on Little San Salvador Island (Half Moon Cay), The Bahamas, and a review of similar behavior in other lizards

Abstract

Antipredator behavior in the teiid lizard Pholidoscelis auberi is previously unreported. I observed an arm-waving display (AWD) and lateral undulation of the tail (LUT) in two P. auberi, an adult and a neonate, on Little San Salvador Island (Half Moon Cay), The Bahamas. Context indicated that these were antipredator behaviors. AWD was performed overhand (clockwise in right lateral view), with the elbow strongly flexed, and with one arm at a time. AWD is performed similarly in some other lizard species and differently in some others. AWD is previously unreported in P. auberi, and LUT is previously unreported in all but one other teiid species.