How conservative are sexual pheromones? : a cross-genera study of Plethodontid salamanders
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Christopher Brannon Love (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Joseph Pechmann
Abstract: Pheromones play a pivotal role in salamander reproductive behavior. Males
deliver internally made pheromones from their mental gland to females during courtship
interactions in the family Plethodontidae. These courtship pheromones typically increase
female receptivity to mating by lowering courtship time. Differences in pheromone
structure are thought to contribute to mating isolation among species. This experiment
tested whether Plethodon shermani pheromones stimulated mating in a plethodontid
salamander of a different genus. Mating trials were conducted with gravid female and
deglanded male pairs of Desmognathus ocoee, while delivering D. ocoee pheromone, P.
shermani pheromone, or saline control. Results showed that pairs receiving P. shermani
pheromone spent twice as much time in tail-straddle walk when compared to the saline
control, and 1.6 as much time in tail-straddle walk compared to native D. ocoee
pheromone. These results indicate that pheromones are possibly specific to a given
species and are not used as general mating stimulus, thereby possibly acting as a
reproductive isolating mechanism among plethodontid salamanders.
How conservative are sexual pheromones? : a cross-genera study of Plethodontid salamanders
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Created on 4/1/2013
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2013
- Keywords
- animal behavior, plethodontid, reproductive isolating mechanism, salamanders, sexual selection
- Subjects
- Woodland salamanders -- Appalachian Region, Southern -- Reproduction -- Endocrine aspects
- Woodland salamanders -- Sexual behavior -- Appalachian Region, Southern
- Pheromones