COMPARISON OF CHEMOSENSORY BEHAVIOR AND PREY TRAIL-FOLLOWING IN THE VARANOID-LIZARDS VARANUS-GOULDII AND HELODERMA-SUSPECTUM

In the first of three experiments, Gould's monitor lizards Varanus gou ldii (n = 8) and Gila monsters Heloderma suspectum (n = 8) were tested to determine whether a postingestion elevation in tongue-flick rate ( PETF) occurred. Based on analysis of numbers of tongue-flicks during 2 0 successive minutes following treatments and controls, significant PE TF was detected in V. gouldii. Analysis of numbers of tongue-flicks ov er 20 successive minutes for H. suspectum indicated that PETF did not occur. A second experiment with refined procedures confirmed the absen ce of PETF in our H. suspectum. The third experiment was designed to d etermine whether V. gouldii and H. suspectum were capable of following prey-chemical trails. Varanus gouldii and H. suspectum followed these trails, and did so equally well, whether or not prey were bitten and ingested prior to exposure to chemical trails. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, In c.