A Tale of Tail Loss: Fine‐Scale Landscape Composition Predicts Caudal Autotomy Along an Urban Gradient in Two Congeneric Lizards

ABSTRACT

Human‐modified landscapes alter species interactions, yet the spatial scale at which landscape features influence predator–prey interactions remains poorly understood. Caudal autotomy, a widespread antipredator defense in many reptile species, has been proposed as a proxy of predation pressure. We investigated landscape‐scale variation in tail autotomy frequency in two synanthropic lizards, Podarcis muralis and P. siculus , across four metropolitan areas in Italy. We combined extensive field sampling (386 individuals) across 33 localities along a gradient of urbanization with multi‐scale analyses of landscape composition and configuration, as well as proxies of predator occurrence (citizen‐science records, species distribution models, and the distribution of colonies of free‐ranging cats). Using generalized linear mixed models, we assessed which landscape features and spatial scales best explained variation in autotomy frequency. Overall, 66% of individuals exhibited autotomy. The frequency of autotomy was higher in P. muralis than in P. siculus and increased significantly with body size. Landscape composition strongly influenced the frequency of autotomy. Forest cover within 50 m of capture sites was the strongest predictor of autotomy, with individuals from areas characterized by lower forest cover showing a higher probability of tail loss. The explanatory power of landscape composition decreased at broader spatial scales. Instead, neither landscape configuration metrics, estimated predator richness, nor proximity to cat colonies significantly improved model performance. The frequency of caudal autotomy in Podarcis lizards varies along the urbanization gradient and is primarily associated with fine‐scale habitat structure. These findings underscore the strong role of landscape composition in shaping multiple animal traits and support the use of morphological indicators to assess the ecological effects of human‐driven landscape change.