Analysis of the Use and Perception of Motion in the Lizard Anolis sagrei

Anolis sagrei is a small lizard that relies extensively on visual perception of motion in order to detect predators, find prey and communicate with conspecifics. Territorial males perform visual threat displays that consist of conspicuous up-and-down head and body movements. The main goal of these experiments was to test the threshold at which this genus of lizard could distinguish between objects moving in a way that mimics natural threat and communication displays, and explore the relationship between physical state (fighting ability) and display motion.  In order to test motion perception and behavioral flexibility, lizards were trained to distinguish between two red-laser dots moving in vertical sinusoidal waves at different velocities in order to receive a food reward.  To assess the relationship between display movements and physical state, we examined the effect of temperature on display speeds and frequencies by using high speed camera recordings of two lizards performing threat displays towards one another at two different temperatures.  We expect to see a high degree of acuity in motion perception in Anolis, due to the extremely high velocity of body movements seen in common display patterns.  In addition, we expect to see slower display speeds correspond to lower body temperatures.  By combining these two studies we expect to be able to assess whether Anolis are able to extract information about the fitness of a rival based on the velocities of motion that make up their threat displays.