An intraspecific analysis of trade-offs in sprinting performance in a West Indian lizard species (Anolis lineatopus)

We examined whether a trade-off exists in sprinting ability among individuals within the Caribbean lizard Anolis lineatopus. Specifically, we made the following predictions: Longer-legged (relative to body size) individual lizards should sprint faster than shorter-legged lizards on a broad (5.1cm diameter) rod. However, longer-legged lizards should also decline in sprinting performance to a greater extent than shorter-legged lizards when sprinting on rods of different diameters. To test these predictions, we examined morphology and sprinting performance in adult male, adult female and juvenile A. lineatopus. As predicted, longer-legged lizards are faster sprinters than shorter-legged lizards on the broad substrate, but they also decline more in speed between the broad and narrow (0.7cm diameter) dowel. However, despite statistically significant morphological differences among intraspecific classes, differences in morphology did not result in differences in sprinting performance among intraspecific classes, with the exception that larger lizards run faster than smaller lizards on each dowel size. (C) 1998 The Linnean Society of London.