Reptile Attraction

Question
Hello, YexalAon!

A couple reptile questions, if you have a moment.

1. What secondary sex characteristics do male lizards seem to be attracted to in female lizards?  This is a serious question that is part of a herpetology research project I'm engaged in.  

2. What might be the �olfactory handshake� of the animal world?  What signals non-aggression?  With dogs and wolves we see the non-aggression behavior of rolling over to say, �I�m not challenging you.�  
a. Do reptiles have means of sending that message?  
b. Are there animals that release pheromones/ethers/scents to send a signal of aggression or non-aggression?  

Thank you for your time,

Keith McCune


Answer
Hello Keith,
1)I do have to say I am not sure on this topic but I have been doing some research sense I have gotten your questions and found a couple of websites. I am not sure the exact information you need but here is a 7 page web site with fish, amphibean and reptile secondary sexual characteristics

http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Nonfiction/Science/Darwin_Man/Darwin_ManC14P1....

http://books.google.com/books?id=cqQX9RMPAegC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=secondary+sexu...

This does seem like a tough subject.

2)I know Bearded Dragon Lizards will "wave" to display non-aggresion.
Also with the waving slow rotations seem to symbol  submission and fast rotations seem to symbol aggression.
I am not sure if there is anything else but I have had lizards that fought before (neither got hurt I wouldn't let them I had to separate them) BUT The dominant one would wave and head bob very fast and stand up really tall. The weaker one would run hide, lay flat on its belly chin down to the ground or he would just sit there not moving while the dominant would sit on him. I know more on the aggresion then non aggression part of it.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Seems to be a complicated progect. Maybe somebody else can help you. Good luck and let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.
-Yexalen