Individual consistency in emergence date, a trait affecting mating successin the lizard Psammodromus algirus

The optimal emergence time for temperate hibernating lizards may represent a balance between the costs and benefits of emerging at a particular time. Emerging earliest could have a great impact on mating success, but only mal es with good body condition may cope with the costs of early emergence. Thu s, it should be expected that emergence date is highly subjected to environ mental variation, so that it may be presumed that this trait will show low between-years consistency. We examined the relationships between emergence date, body condition, and pairing success in free-ranging male lizards, Psa mmodromus algirus. Emergence date and body condition were negatively correl ated. However, a multiple regression analysis showed that the number of fem ales associated with a male was explained by effects of emergence date and snout-vent length but not by body condition. Contrary to expected, emergenc e date of males breeding over two consecutive seasons were correlated, even when the confounding effects of body size and condition were controlled.