Fit and fat from enlarged badges: a field experiment on male sand lizards

Sofia Anderholm; Mats Olsson; Erik Wapstra; Karin Ryberg

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2003.0094

Fit and fat from enlarged badges: a field experiment on male sand lizards

Sofia Anderholm, Mats Olsson, Erik Wapstra, Karin Ryberg

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To investigate the impact of nuptial coloration (the badge) on male fitness in the Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), we conducted a manipulation experiment in a natural population. Males in one group had their badges enlarged by being painted as cheaters and were compared to a control group with respect to mate acquisition, body condition and survival. Badge enlargement did not affect survival, but elevated mate acquisition by almost 400%, and body condition in small males. This increase in condition is likely to stem from greater access to female-associated sites with high food availability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S142-S144
Journal	Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences
Volume	271
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2003.0094
Publication status	Published - 2004

Keywords

Badge manipulation
Condition
Reproductive success
Signalling
Status

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10.1098/rsbl.2003.0094

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abstract = "To investigate the impact of nuptial coloration (the badge) on male fitness in the Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), we conducted a manipulation experiment in a natural population. Males in one group had their badges enlarged by being painted as cheaters and were compared to a control group with respect to mate acquisition, body condition and survival. Badge enlargement did not affect survival, but elevated mate acquisition by almost 400%, and body condition in small males. This increase in condition is likely to stem from greater access to female-associated sites with high food availability.",

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AU - Anderholm, Sofia

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AU - Wapstra, Erik

AU - Ryberg, Karin

PY - 2004

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AB - To investigate the impact of nuptial coloration (the badge) on male fitness in the Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis), we conducted a manipulation experiment in a natural population. Males in one group had their badges enlarged by being painted as cheaters and were compared to a control group with respect to mate acquisition, body condition and survival. Badge enlargement did not affect survival, but elevated mate acquisition by almost 400%, and body condition in small males. This increase in condition is likely to stem from greater access to female-associated sites with high food availability.

KW - Badge manipulation

KW - Condition

KW - Reproductive success

KW - Signalling

KW - Status

U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2003.0094

DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2003.0094

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JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences

JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences

ER -

Fit and fat from enlarged badges: a field experiment on male sand lizards

Abstract

Keywords

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