Chemical exploratory behavior in the lizard Liolaemus bellii

An experimental study was carried out to determine whether self and conspec ific chemical recognition occurs in Liolaemus bellii, a Tropidurid lizard f rom Central Chile. Experiments were performed during the autumn and the spr ing. Using the number of tongue flicks as an indicator of discrimination, i t was found that L. bellii showed both self and conspecific chemical recogn ition. Lizards recognized their own territories, and conspecific chemical r ecognition showed seasonal changes. During autumn, lizards showed higher ex ploratory behavior (higher numbers of tongue flicks and motion time) than i n spring, and female enclosures elicited in males higher numbers of tongue nicks. Similar results were previously found in other Liolaemus species fro m a different habitat The information available at present for Liolaemus su ggests that recognition of own territory is more important than recognition of conspecifics, and the latter seems to be associated mainly to the repro ductive season. Therefore, conspecific and self-chemical recognition seem t o be independent of the habitat used by the species, although habitat could modulate the use of chemical signals.