Ritualistic Behavior Lizards 
263 
Figure 14. The displaying male Netted Dragon (Amphibolurus reticulatus — Agamidae) of Australia often 
preceeds his pushup movements with rapid circumduction actions of a front leg, bringing the leg rapidly 
back, up and down. Similar movements, but much slower, are seen in subordinate individuals. 
similar for most species and is different from 
the aggressive species-specific display-action- 
pattern. In those species whose DAPs are 
head nods, the difference, if present, may be 
difficult to discern. In the iguanid genus 
Uma, the rapid headnodding during court- 
ship is accompanied by alternate leg shaking 
that appears quite comical (Carpenter, 1963). 
I have observed a courting male Basiliscus 
vittatus hip wagging as it approached the 
female. The courting male of some species 
circles about the female (i.e., Uta stansburi- 
ana) (Ferguson, 1970). 
The iguanids and agamids, like the teiids 
and lacertids, have a characteristic hold dur- 
ing copulation that differs strikingly from 
the teiids and lacertids (Carpenter, 1967a.). 
Iguanids and agamids obtain and maintain 
bite holds on the skin of the neck or shoulder 
region of the female whether in the large 
forms such as Amblyrhynchus cristatus, 
medium sized Basiliscus vittatus, or small 
forms such as Sceloporus scalaris (Fig. 15) 
and Urosaurus bicarinatus. All forms use a 
hindleg across the female pelvic region to 
help hold her. 
In the genus Cnemidophorus (Teiidae) a 
behavior I have called cloacal rubbing is com- 
monly observed. The male rapidly shakes 
or rubs his pelvic region back and forth 
laterally, especially in the presence of a 
female, but also when in the vicinity of a 
burrow where a female may be present. I 
have observed a male Cnemidophorus tigris 
which persistently courted a male Uma exsul 
with pelvic rubbing and attempts to obtain 
Figure 15. The characteristic copulation position 
for iguanid and agamid lizards is shown here by 
a pair of Bunch Grass Lizards {Sceloporus 
scalaris — Iguanidae) from Mexico. Notice the 
bite-hold on the skin of the shoulder region by the 
male as he holds the female with legs wrapped 
about her body. 
a mating bitehold. After some time, it ap- 
peared that the sexual excitement of the 
Cnemidophorus increased and, having failed 
to mount and hold the Uma successfully, it 
moved away and, in vacuuo, assumed for a 
few seconds the arched position of a Cnemi- 
dophorus male during copulation. In the 
typical hold obtained by a copulating teiid 
