Territorial Pheromones of Female Red‐backed Salamanders

Abstract

Pheromones provide an important source of communication during social interactions of caudate amphibians. To further examine their use in territorial defense, we performed a laboratory experiment to test the hypothesis that non‐courting female red‐backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) deposit pheromones in or on fecal pellets, as males are known to do during territorial advertisement. Four conditions were tested: (1) a burrow marked with a female's own pellet vs. a burrow marked by a conspecific female's pellet, (2) own vs. unmarked burrows, (3) conspecific vs. unmarked burrows, and (4) paired unmarked burrows as a control. Females nose‐tapped (for olfactory cues) their own and conspecific pellets about equally. However, they spent significantly more time in both threat and submissive behavior toward the conspecific pellets and spent significantly more time in their own marked burrows. We infer that female P. cinereus do deposit pheromones in or on fecal pellets and that these pellets may be used to advertise territories. The behavioral responses of females toward pellets of other females were more aggressive than those of males (in a previous study) toward pellets of other males.

Territorial Behavior and Ecological Divergence in a Polymorphic Salamander

“…This result is consistent with our field observations of unstriped salamanders being more likely to behave as floaters. These two lines of evidence suggest that the unstriped morph is less likely to exhibit territorial behavior which has been shown to be important in both mate and prey acquisition in this species ( Jaeger, 1981;Horne and Jaeger, 1988;Nunes, 1988). Differential aggression by phenotype reinforces the notion that unstriped females may be forced to accept lower quality mates (either unstriped males or small striped males).…”

“…Individuals were transported in separate 50 mL centrifuge tubes to the laboratory. Males, not females, were used in experiments to reduce the potential confounding effects of courtship behavior, and because males show higher levels of aggressive behavior than do females (Horne and Jaeger, 1988). In the laboratory, individuals were housed separately in 15 cm diameter plastic Petri dishes (hereafter chambers) lined with moist filter paper.…”

“…For example, if thermal optima (Lotter and Scott, 1977;Moreno, 1989) and diet (Anthony et al, 2008) differ between the two morphs, differential territorial behavior by phenotype may be expressed. Territorial behavior is thought to be important in gaining access to prey and mates in this species ( Jaeger, 1981;Horne and Jaeger, 1988;Nunes, 1988), and most researchers agree that these salamanders defend patches of moisture, and their associated prey, under cover objects on the forest floor (Mathis, 1990(Mathis, , 1991Jaeger et al, 1995). Adaptations that permit foraging in warmer and/or drier microhabitats could reduce the benefit derived from territorial behavior.…”

Olfaction in birds: a closer look at the kiwi (Apterygidae)

“…obs.). Kiwi may be depositing information‐loaded faeces in key locations where conspecifics may encounter them to provide information about breeding condition, burrow occupancy, or activity, as many mammals (reviewed by Johnson 1973, Goszczynski 1990, Feldman 1994, Ralls and Smith 2004, Barja et al 2005) and reptiles do (Horne and Jaeger 1988, Carpenter and Duvall 1995, Bull et al 1999).…”

Reconhecimento de irmãos e coespecíficos em girinos de >i<Rhinella icterica>/i< e >i<R. ornata>/i< (Anura: Bufonidae)

“…Entre as salamandras, a comunicação química pode atuar no reconhecimento de si-mesmo (Simon & Madison, 1984;Horne & Jaeger, 1988;Gillette, 2002), de ovos (Forester et al, 1983), de coespecíficos (Jaeger & Gergits, 1979;Ovaska & Davis, 1992) e de diferentes populações de uma mesma espécie (Evans et al, 1997). Além disso, dentro desse grupo, sinais químicos podem conter informações como o sexo, o tamanho corporal e o estado reprodutivo de um indivíduo (Jaeger & Gergits, 1979;Houck & Regan, 1990), contribuindo para comportamentos territoriais e reprodutivos (Horne & Jaeger, 1988;Walls et al, 1989;Ovaska & Davis, 1992). As cecílias também são capazes de assimilar informações sobre sexo, estado reprodutivo, território e parceiros reprodutivos por meio de sinais químicos (Warbeck et al, 1996;Warbeck & Parzefall, 2001).…”