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Intraspecific competition and high food availability are associated with insular gigantism in a lizard

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Abstract

Resource availability, competition, and predation commonly drive body size evolution. We assess the impact of high food availability and the consequent increased intraspecific competition, as expressed by tail injuries and cannibalism, on body size in Skyros wall lizards (Podarcis gaigeae). Lizard populations on islets surrounding Skyros (Aegean Sea) all have fewer predators and competitors than on Skyros but differ in the numbers of nesting seabirds. We predicted the following: (1) the presence of breeding seabirds (providing nutrients) will increase lizard population densities; (2) dense lizard populations will experience stronger intraspecific competition; and (3) such aggression, will be associated with larger average body size. We found a positive correlation between seabird and lizard densities. Cannibalism and tail injuries were considerably higher in dense populations. Increases in cannibalism and tail loss were associated with large body sizes. Adult cannibalism on juveniles may select for rapid growth, fuelled by high food abundance, setting thus the stage for the evolution of gigantism.

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Acknowledgements

The study is in full compliance with Greek legislation for the Protection of Wildlife and Environment and was approved by the officer responsible for the well-being of study animals in the University of Athens. All animals were released into the wild after the end of the study. We are grateful to Wolfgang Böhme for offering access to the herpetological collections of the AKZM in Bonn and to our skipper Kyriakos Antonopoulos for local transportation. We also thank P. Lymberakis for map preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan, Dana Building, 440 East University, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1041, USA

    Panayiotis Pafilis & Johannes Foufopoulos

  2. Department of Classical Studies, Modern Greek Program, University of Michigan, 2160 Angell Hall, 435 S. State, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1041, USA

    Panayiotis Pafilis

  3. NERC Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK

    Shai Meiri

  4. Department of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 157-84, Athens, Greece

    Efstratios Valakos

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  1. Panayiotis Pafilis
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  2. Shai Meiri
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  3. Johannes Foufopoulos
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  4. Efstratios Valakos
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Correspondence to Panayiotis Pafilis.

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Pafilis, P., Meiri, S., Foufopoulos, J. et al. Intraspecific competition and high food availability are associated with insular gigantism in a lizard. Naturwissenschaften 96, 1107–1113 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0564-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-009-0564-3

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