Movement in Juvenile Bushveld Lizards (Heliobolus lugubris)

ABSTRACT

Differences in body size and development can result in ecological variation with age, although juveniles often are understudied. Among bushveld lizards, juveniles are morphologically distinct from adults, with their movement and coloration mimicking beetles. We examined movement in a population of juvenile bushveld lizards in southwestern Botswana. In our study population, juveniles were active foragers, exhibiting both high moves per minute (MPM) and percent time moving (PTM) relative to other lizards. We also measured first passage time (FPT; radii = 1, 3, and 5 m), which revealed that foraging juveniles use area restricted searching. Across the limited range of scales we examined, FPT increased linearly, possibly indicating directional persistence. Further studies on the implications of our findings are merited.