Insularity affects head morphology, bite force and diet in a Mediterranean lizard

2014/04/30 by Κostas Sagonas, Kostas Sagonas, Panayiotis Pafilis +5 · 79 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · Mathematics · #Amphibian and Reptile Biology #Animal Behavior and Reproduction #Biology #Bite force quotient #Ecology #Ecomorphology #Habitat #Lizard #Mainland #Morphological variations and asymmetry #Morphology (biology) #Morphometrics #Natural selection #Predation #Sauria #Selection (genetic algorithm) #Sexual dimorphism #Sexual selection #Zoology

paper · doi:10.1111/bij.12290

published in Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 112(3), 469-484 (Oxford University Press)

openalex publication_date 2014/04/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Island environments differ with regard to numerous features from the mainland and may induce large-scale changes in most aspects of the biology of an organism. In this study, we explore the effect of insularity on the morphology and performance of the feeding apparatus, a system crucial for the survival of organisms. To this end, we examined the head morphology and feeding ecology of island and mainland populations of the Balkan green lizard, Lacerta trilineata. We predicted that head morphology, performance and diet composition would differ between sexes and habitats as a result of varying sexual and natural selection pressures. We employed geometric morphometrics to test for differences in head morphology, measured bite forces and analysed the diet of 154 adult lizards. Morphological analyses revealed significant differences between sexes and also between mainland and island populations. Relative to females, males had larger heads, a stronger bite and consumed harder prey than females. Moreover, island lizards differed in head shape, but not in head size, and, in the case of males, demonstrated a higher bite force. Islanders had a wider food niche breadth and included more plant material in their diet. Our findings suggest that insularity influences feeding ecology and, through selection on bite force, head morphology.

Citations

• Sexual dimorphism, body size, bite force and male mating success in tuatara
• Bite force in vertebrates: opportunities and caveats for use of a nonpareil whole-animal performance measure

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