Chemical Cues in Predator-Prey Interactions of Lizards
Summary
In many ecosystems lizards and their predators rely heavily on chemical communication to mediate crucial interactions that shape survival strategies and community dynamics. Chemical cues, or semiochemicals, are released by both predators and prey through skin secretions, faeces, urine or specialised glands. Lizards detect these cues with their vomeronasal organ and olfactory systems, enabling them to assess predation risk, adjust habitat use and fine-tune antipredator behaviours. Conversely, predators such as snakes exploit prey-derived odours to locate and ambush their targets. The specificity and complexity of these chemical signatures vary among species and environments, influencing the evolution of recognition thresholds and habituation processes. Research has revealed that insular populations may lose predator recognition in the absence of selective pressure, while introduced or invasive lizards can disrupt native communities through altered chemical interactions. The study of these cues has global significance for biodiversity conservation, pest management and understanding the resilience of ecological networks in the face of environmental change.
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Technical terms
Chemical cue: A substance emitted by an organism that conveys information to conspecifics or other species, influencing behaviour or physiology.
Kairomone: A chemical substance released by one species that is exploited by another species, typically for predation or host location.
Antipredator behaviour: A repertoire of behavioural responses by prey organisms aimed at reducing predation risk, such as flight, freezing or tail autotomy.
Invasive species: A non-native organism that establishes, spreads and causes ecological, economic or health impacts in a new environment.
Olfactory discrimination: The ability of an organism to detect and differentiate between chemical stimuli in its environment.
References
- From tameness to wariness: chemical recognition of snake predators by lizards in a Mediterranean island. PeerJ (2017).
- Response behaviour of native lizards and invading wall lizard to interspecific scent: implications for invasion success. Animal Behaviour (2020).
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