FECAL SCENT MARKING IN THE WESTERN BANDED GECKO (COLEONYX VARIEGATUS)

We examined the phenomenon of feces confinement in western banded geck os (Coleonyx variegatus). Discrete ''defecatoria'' (preferred defecati on sites) were observed for both males and females housed individually . Lizards tended to establish defecatoria away from their own diurnal resting sites as well as areas marked by conspecifics. Geckos formed m ore compact defecatoria when introduced into an arena marked by a memb er of the opposite (versus the same) sex, suggesting the presence of s ex-specific fecal cues. Responses to extracts of feces suggest that ch emical cues are important in mediating defecation patterns and that ge ckos are able to recognize the scent of their own feces. Defecatoria m ay serve to reduce predation pressure or as social ''signposts'' where geckos obtain information concerning conspecifics.