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A Novel Multidisciplinary Approach for Reptile Movement and Behavior Analysis

Savvas Zotos Orcid Logo, Marilena Stamatiou Orcid Logo, Sofia‐Zacharenia Marketaki Orcid Logo, Michael Konstantinou, Andreas Aristidou Orcid Logo, Duncan J. Irschick, Jeremy A. Bot, Emily Shepard Orcid Logo, Mark Holton Orcid Logo, Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis Orcid Logo

Integrative Zoology

Swansea University Authors: Emily Shepard Orcid Logo, Mark Holton Orcid Logo

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Abstract

The study of animals’ activity and behavior in the wild is an extremely challenging task. Although tri‐axial accelerometers are invaluable for behavioral analyses, their use is more frequent in large charismatic endotherms with limited application in ectotherms. The scarce utilization of this method...

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Published in: Integrative Zoology
ISSN: 1749-4877 1749-4877
Published: Wiley 2025
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68970
Abstract: The study of animals’ activity and behavior in the wild is an extremely challenging task. Although tri‐axial accelerometers are invaluable for behavioral analyses, their use is more frequent in large charismatic endotherms with limited application in ectotherms. The scarce utilization of this methodology on small‐size reptiles is focused on animals’ activity and energetics, showing few records of rapid displays and behavior signals. Here, we present a novel multidisciplinary approach capable of advancing research on reptiles’ behavior. Our proposed approach uses advanced technologies for the digitization, reconstruction and visualization of reptiles and their behavior. We (i) record movement through tri‐axial accelerometers, video cameras, and motion capture systems; (ii) ground‐truth data through the video records; (iii) develop realistically accurate 3D avatars of the recorded movement for visualization purposes, and (iv) archive data on a Behavior Pattern Database. As case studies, we used two small Mediterranean reptiles, the lizard Laudakia cypriaca and the snake Dolichophis jugularis. Through our approach, we successfully recorded, ground‐truthed, and labeled for the first time, several detailed movements and behaviors of the two case study species. We developed an accurate digital overview of those movements using motion capture and 3D animal reconstruction. Finally, we structured a database for archiving all behavioral data and demonstrated how those archives can be used for advancing behavioral research, providing ecological insights into this animal group. Our approach can enhance research on reptiles’ behavior by contributing to the analysis of complex or isolated behaviors, poorly studied, such as signals and social interactions, providing valuable insights and assisting behavioral analysis.
Keywords: accelerometer, behavior recognition, motion capture, movement analysis, virtual 3D models
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: This paper is an output of the research project ReTrack (POST-DOC/0916/0034) “Advancing Site Level Management Through Innovative Reptiles’ Tracking and Behavioral Decryption,” which was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation.