Patterns of Dominance in the Small Scincid Lizard Lampropholis guichenofi

A6rMcr. -we ob*rved .aprive grouF of eix ro ten scin.id lizads (t.DProPnoli Aui.hetoal to in' vestig.te dominm.e p.rterns .nd to qu.ntify end d€scribe sire d€fen.e Most grouF erhibit€d too few social inrera.tiotu to determine soci.l srtu rurc; however, in ore grouP of nine L tui.nemai . "nodinefl ddpotic social st(cture was formcd with rwo liz.rds dominant ove. all of the otheB Aody si4 and $x influenc.d posilion w hir the so.ial stfrcture, with hal6 t.ndint io domin.rc fenal€ and l.iE r lizrds tending to dominete snaller one$ tn Eenerd m.l6 were mot aEEre$ive than fema16. A "nc.k'.r.h" was usd 6 th€ common d3ertion displ.y .nd wa3 3en siSnidc.ntly more frcqu.ntly in m.lcs th:n femles. Aggr63ive behavior did not de.rede wirh time .trd thus may tE involv€d in rhe hainrenan.. of doninance a3 wcll .s its etablishmenl. Agoni6li. beh.vior Eulting in displ.cem€nr of lizids frcm b.akina or shelrei sit.s w* ne (ob*red in only one of 20 groups). when su<h behrvior o.curr.d, it gener.lly .orsisted of dbPlacemenr of em.Uer mal6 by laiger, more domi..nt h.les. L.rge m.1.. .lso rended to be fourd wirh femd6 uder shelter more oftcn than wer€ smll€r mil6. Tne [email protected] or ebsene of active .ite deferce in L Aaichenoti naY be dre ro thcir snall body 3ize (.nil henc, the lact thrt suitable sit6 for bdking and 3h.lid ae qlikely to bc in short 3upply) and the appftnr lact of fired hom. r.nEes in this 3P€o.3.