Abstract
Most reptile sex pheromones so far described are lipid molecules too large to diffuse through the air; instead, they are detected via direct contact (tongue-flicking) with another animal's body or substrate-deposited trails, using the vomeronasal system. The only non-lipid pheromone reported in snakes involves courtship termination in red-sided gartersnakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis): males that encounter copulatory fluids cease courtship, presumably reflecting the futility of courting an already-mating female. Our field experiments at a communal den in Manitoba show that this pheromone can work via olfaction: courtship is terminated by exposure to airborne scents from mating conspecifics, and does not require direct contact (tongue-flicking). Hence, the sexual behaviour of reptiles can be affected by airborne as well as substrate-bound pheromones.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 183-185 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Biology Letters |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 23 Apr 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- chemical communication
- reproductive tactics
- reptile sociality
- sexual selection