Dyadic Movement in an Adult Male and Female Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae) in South Florida
Brittany M. Mason1,*, Mathieu Basille1, Jennifer H. Nestler1, and Frank J. Mazzotti1
1Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Avenue, Davie, FL 33314. *Corresponding author.
Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 21, Issue 1 (2022): N5–N11
Abstract
Reptiles exhibit a wide diversity of social systems, and while not very common, exclusive and consensual mating relationships have been documented in several lizard species including lizards from the Teiidae family. Here, we document dyadic movement behavior between an adult male and female Salvator merianae (Argentine Black and White Tegu), a large, omnivorous lizard native to Brazil, Uruguay, eastern Paraguay, and Argentina that became established as an invasive species in Florida, in the southeastern United States. Using global positioning system and very high frequency telemetry data, we documented 8–9 days of joint movement between a reproductively active male and female Tegu in Miami-Dade County, FL.
Download Full-text pdf (Accessible only to subscribers. To subscribe click here.)
Access Journal Content
Open access browsing of table of contents and abstract pages. Full text pdfs available for download for subscribers.
Issue-in-Progress: Vol. 23 (1) ... early view
Check out SENA's latest Special Issue: