Population dependent behavioral responses among color morphs of European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)?

Abstract

Color polymorphisms are common across reptile species and are frequently correlated with variation in behavior and other functional traits. Here, we tested whether the ventral color morphs (yellow, orange and white pure, as well as yellow-orange and white-orange mosaic morphs) of European wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) exhibit differential temporal changes in their reaction to exposure to a novel environment. We conducted 15 min long trials of a novel environment test (open field test) in a set of populations from the eastern Pyrenees. Locomotion, boldness and freezing behavior changed over time, in agreement with a previous study carried out in central Pyrenees, but without highlighting a clear behavioral difference among color morphs. Only yellow-orange lizards showed a distinct correlation pattern between locomotion and body size compared to the other morphs. Carefully standardized studies involving more populations are needed to unravel the complex interactions between morphological and behavioral traits among lizard color morphs.