Antipredator behavior in the Aruba Whiptail (Cnemidophorus arubensis Wagler)

Abstract

A common response among lizards to the approach of a predator is to attempt to avoid detection by moving out of the predator’s view. This may involve moving to the opposite side of a twig or tree trunk, moving into a burrow, or moving into vegetation or other structures (McElroy 2019). Here, I report an unusual behavior to avoid detection in the Aruba Whiptail (Cnemidophorus arubensis), a teiid endemic to the island of Aruba. This behavior involves movement into a shadow in the open, with no further concealment.