NO. 3595 ANOLIS LINEATOPUS — RAND 45 



Since the lizards live together more or less permanently and the 

 females usually mate with a single male (the male with the one or 

 more females that have home ranges within his), there exists what 

 might be considered a pair bond. The evidence that the male A. 

 lineatopus may recognize the females as individuals suggests that 

 this pair bond is comparable to that in birds and mammals. A pair 

 bond of some sort has been reported in the largely monogamous Uta 

 stansburiana, Tinkle, et al (1962), in certain populations of iS'ceZopor'j^s 

 merriami, Milstead (1961), and Crotophytus collaris, Fitch (1956a), 

 and in Cnemidophorus tigris, Milstead (1961). Kastle (1963) sug- 

 gests that his captive Noi'ops auratus recognized one another as 

 individuals. 



The large amount of unconsiunmated courtship and the very small 

 amount of immediate precopulatory display then could be interpreted 

 together as display that serves to help maintain the pair bond. This 

 is a function of "territorial" display that is quite well established 

 in bird literature. 



This discussion of the possible pah' bond in A. lineatopus is specu- 

 lation but it suggests a very interesting line of investigation. 



The adult males, in addition to courting females, also courted 

 young males that were of female size. I was unable to distinguish 

 between the approach of a male and his display to these young males 

 and that exhibited toward adult females. This contrasts with the 

 situation in A. carolinensis, wherein Greenberg and Noble (1944) 

 reported that they could distinguish the approach of an adult male 

 to a female from his approach to any other male. 



In no case did I see a homosexual mating though I saw one male 

 start precopulatory behavior with an adult male stake-out. Homo- 

 sexual matings are reported for caged A. carolinensis by Noble and 

 Bradley (1933). These matings probably were due to the crowded 

 conditions under which the Uzards were being kept. 



The only difference I could detect between females and young 

 males in then* response to courtship is that the males always ran and 

 the females ran except when they were receptive. (There is some 

 difference in their shape, particularly when a female is carrying a 

 large egg.) 



On one occasion I saw an adult male interrupt a copulation as 

 foUows: 



18 May— Mona. This evening just about suppertime my attention was 

 attracted by rustlnig in the leaves. When I looked I saw a male holding a female 

 by the neck; as is typical of the terminal stages of courtship, they were walking 

 along slowly. Just then another adult male ran over and jumped up in a bush 

 nearby and bobbed, then he jumped towards the pair and all three disappeared 

 around a flower pot. By the time I maneuvered to where I could see them 



