Authors
Claire A McLean, Devi Stuart-Fox
Publication date
2010/12/1
Journal
Behaviour
Volume
147
Issue
13
Pages
1803-1818
Publisher
Brill
Description
Female resistance is expected to evolve when mating costs outweigh resistance costs. One potential cost of resistance is increased predation risk; however, the ability to compensate behaviourally may reduce these costs. In the Lake Eyre dragon, Ctenophorus maculosus, non-receptive females employ several rejection strategies, including lateral threat displays and flipping over, to prevent superfluous matings. C. maculosus rely on cryptic dorsal colouration for protection from predators; however, resisting females are highly conspicuous as they develop orange ventro-lateral colouration, which is emphasised during rejection displays. Furthermore, flipping over may increase vulnerability to predators by decreasing a female's ability to detect predators and to flee. We tested whether females behaviourally compensate for potential increased vulnerability by altering their use of lateral threats and flip-overs under high …
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