Behavior of Lizards

Vincent Bels was born in Verviers, Belgium. He completed his PhD on the association between ethology and functional morphology at the University of Liège (Liège, Belgium). He used lizards as a key model to investigate the process of behavioral ritualization. He was Research Fellow and then Assistant Professor at the University of Liège (Belgium) for more than 10 years. Then he taught Biology, Zoology and Ecology, and developed an applied research program on feeding behavior in domestic animals at the Haute Ecole Condorcet and its associated Agronomic Centre (Belgium) for 10 years. He became Professor at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France) in 2005, and in this capacity served as joint director of a Mixed Research Unit (CNRS/MNHN, France) for over 7 years, as a member of the Scientific Committee of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France) for 8 years, and as a member of the Scientific Sections of the Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France) for a similar period. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles, 10 chapters, and 6 books. The major theme of his research publications is the study of feeding, drinking and displaying in lizards, although he also published some papers on feeding and locomotion in fishes and birds. His main objective is the integration of behavioral and morphological studies into a comprehensive understanding of the "Form-Function" complex as it relates to the evolution of the trophic system of Vertebrates. Tony Russell was born in London, UK. He completed his BSc at the University of Exeter and his PhD at the University of London. Upon completion of his PhD he took up a short teaching appointment at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland before beginning his work at the University of Calgary, during which time he served for six years as head of the Department of Biological Sciences. After 40 years of teaching various aspects of vertebrate biology and evolutionary biology he retired from his faculty position in 2013, but continues with his research. He has authored over 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 19 chapters, and three books. Although he has published on many groups of vertebrates, the continuing focus of his research has been the structure, function and evolution of geckos. His field work has taken him to Australia, New Zealand, many islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Namibia, and, most recently, Trinidad and Tobago. He has received recognition for his contributions including the NSERC 25 Years of Excellence Award, the Alberta Foundation for Environmental Excellence Award, and the University of Calgary Distinguished Faculty Award. Outside the University he has served as President of the Canadian Society of Zoologists, and President of the International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists.

"Behavior of Lizards is a gift to all researchers who struggle to keep up with the rapidly growing body of scientific literature on lizard behavior. Maintaining a broad understanding of current literature on topics outside of our own areas of expertise is difficult. This volume offers an engaging solution to this predicament in 12 chapters, each a thorough review of a distinct area of research with an emphasis on the evolutionary and mechanistic impacts on lizard behavior. This volume generally reads like objective bullet points that emphasize the core results, further linking studies based on these core results, yet different authors contribute their own writing styles to each chapter. These qualities make this an excellent textbook for teaching an advanced undergraduate course on lizard behavior, exposing students to different scientific writing styles and approaches. It is therefore an excellent resource for academics, herpetologists, and researchers."-Stephanie M. Campos, Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia in The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol 95, 2020

• Introduction. "Everyday" Behavior. Behavioral thermoregulation in lizards: Strategies for achieving preferred temperature. Lizard locomotion: relationships between behavior, performance, and function. Lizard foraging - A Perspective Integrating Sensory Ecology and Life Histories. Predatory behavior in lizards: strategies and mechanisms for catching prey. Antipredator behavioral mechanisms: avoidance, deterrence, escape and encounter. Social Behavior and Communication. The physiological control of social behavior in lizards. Sensory processing in relation to signaling behavior. Phylogeny and ontogeny of lizard display behavior. Behavioral ecology of aggressive behavior in lizards. Stable social grouping in lizards. Environmental impact, global change and behavior Hydroregulation – a neglected behavioral response of lizards to climate change? Impact of human-induced environmental changes on lizard behavior: insights from urbanization