Female response to filmed displays of Anolis nebulosus (Sauria,Iguanidae)

A film loop apparatus was devised to test a possible social function of the display of Anolis nebulosus. Films of a displaying male were projected onto translucent screens at both ends of an enclosure. One film loop portrayed the display typical of the lizard's population, while the other loop projected an altered version of the basic display. Female A. nebulosus were introduced singly into the centre of the enclosure. They gave a graded response to the film loops; an increasing proportion of females approached the ‘normal’ displaying image as the film loops of altered displays contained a greater number of changes. The various experimental techniques previously used to study the function of lizard displays are reviewed.