Caudal movements in western fence lizards ( Sceloporus occidentalis ) prior to attempted prey capture

Many snakes employ tail movements to attract prey, but this behavior is rare in lizards. Use of caudal movements to distract prey, however, is rare in all squamates. Recently, caudal movements in a Sceloporus occidentalis individual immediately prior to attempted prey capture were documented. We supplement this sole documentation of caudal movements in S. occidentalis with additional field observations. Additionally, video footage of the behavior was recorded on 2 occasions. From these additional observations, we hypothesize that this behavior might serve to distract prey.