Push-ups for De-scalation

Many different lizard species use push-ups as a form of communication including the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis. Often these displays are enough to determine which male is more dominant. However, sometimes, the lizards have to escalate things and physically fight. A male more prone to aggression can increase their reproductive success if they can successfully fight off other males but there’s always a risk of injury.

Megía-Palma et al caught 42 male fence lizards using a lasso. They then took blood samples from the lizards to test for internal parasites (hematic coccidians, L. occidentalis). They also noted external parasites like mites and ticks. In addition to parasite load they looked at the size and shade of the blue patches on the lizard’s throats and stomachs.

They found that lizards infested by more ticks had did more pushups and those with the internal parasites preformed less pushups. Also they observed a reduced number of pushups in lizards who’s opponents blue patches were larger and higher chroma, more vivid.

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