Nature Journal

5. Fence Lizards

39 ß chapter five Fence Lizards I was walking down a trail along the Cahaba River in Bibb County, Alabama, one sunny afternoon when I stopped dead in my tracks. A lizard sat on top of a small log in the middle of that trail, bobbing up and down, completely oblivious to my presence— in fact, he had no interest in me whatsoever. And as he bobbed, he revealed his gorgeous light blue belly and neck to the world. I had no idea what kind of lizard he was, or why he was doing what he was doing. This chapter resulted from my identifying that lizard and researching his story. I wrote it, obviously, from a human male’s perspective. It’s not easy being male. First you’ve got to woo your beloved , hoping to captivate her with your looks, charm, and physical prowess while intimidating all rival suitors. Then you anxiously await her decision—yes, no, or maybe—with a good chance to suffer the cruelest rejection. An agonizing ritual we human males share with fence lizards. . . . Called the rusty-backed, scaly, or pine lizard in many parts of the South, these husky, rough-scaled reptiles are 40 ß chapter five conspicuous both due to their size (four to seven inches long at adulthood ) and tendency to bask in exposed places. Dark, undulating crossbands , often in the shape of irregular Vs, mark their rusty- or gray-brown backs. In addition, adult males sport pastel blue sides to their bellies, the bright color bordered by black toward the center of the body. The same combination appears on the throat or dewlap. Fence lizards populate forested regions, especially piney woods and cut-over woodlands dotted with brush heaps and fallen trees. Logs, stumps, tree trunks, old lumber piles, and split-rail fences are favorite haunts, the creatures blending in perfect camouflaged harmony. When disturbed, they escape by scurrying up the side of the tree or fence opposite their pursuer, speedily climbing a short distance, then remaining perfectly motionless. They can be easily caught, though, if you practice the Fine Art of Fence Lizard Catching—a slow, cautious approach from in front, followed by a lightning-quick grab from behind. Dry, open, abused land produces abundant invertebrate life, and fence lizards happily consume all they can—insects, spiders, millipedes, snails, and especially ants and beetles. Movement draws their attention, and only moving prey is captured, usually by a sudden dash or lunge. Most hunting occurs early in the morning, after a revitalizing dawn sun bath; they may forage again toward evening before retiring to shelter for the night. Being ectotherms, fence lizards also seek winter shelter, hibernating in burrows, spaces under or between rocks, or within rotten stumps or logs. Mating behavior begins soon after their spring emergence. A typical male is strongly territorial, choosing an obvious site and advertising his presence to other members of the species with an elaborate series of fence lizards ß 41 shuddering head-bobs and vigorous push-ups, his body moving repeatedly (and perhaps suggestively) up and down. He compresses himself laterally, providing maximal display of his beautiful blue patches; orienting himself at right angles to any intruder adds to the patches’ visibility. (Such behavior will be directed toward either sex, especially during initial encounter stages.) If another male enters his territory, he throws down the saurian gauntlet—rapid-fire push-ups plus lateral compression plus ventral extension of the dewlap, all at once. Physical attack ensues, with the first male charging the other and attempting to bite him and chase him away. If, however, a fetching female appears, and she accepts his advances, then mating occurs. (How could a female, of any species, resist a guy sporting belly and throat patches best described as “leisure suit blue”?!) After six weeks’ gestation, she lays a clutch of three to thirteen eggs— each egg one-half inch long with a thin, papery shell—in a shallow cavity , deep enough to unite the constant moisture of the soil with warmth conducted from the sunlit surface. The hatchlings, about one and a half inches long, emerge two months later. But what if she’s less than impressed by his performance? Females being courted are quite likely to respond with—it hurts me to even put these words together—a rejection display. She presents her own lateral view to the male, revealing the lack of belly patches and clearly identifying...