Sexual interference in Cynops ensicauda

[henk]

Here they are all happely together

The male performs his nuptial dance , see the close up of the male (yes we are voyeurs arent't we ?)

and now the series where you see an example of sexual interference
The male approaches a female

He blocks her path and tries to get her attention. The idea is for her to touch his body after which he will turn, curl his tail in S shape, wanting her to follow him bu touching the back of his tail. Then he will set of a spermatophore over which he will giude her, so that she can stop and take it up in her body. But that's the idea. However if you look good you see another male at the left who sees it happen and approaches too

The extra male waits till the initial male turns and then tries to get inbetween both , taken the female over to follow him instead. So he pushes itself between both

The initial male discovered this and was not that happy with the situation, he curled his body and turned towards the other male starting to push and bite him (not that aggressive though ...). They hen started to turn around eachother ...

Well if this surely comeq as close to a bar-fight over a girl in salamanderland as I can imagine ...

 

[cameron]

That was a nice slideshow of the mating ritual. It was quite interesting. Do you have any other females in there? Did they ever successfully mate?

 

[jennifer]

That's a really nice set of observations and photos! Thanks!

 

[henk]

Well Cheri, the tank holds 3 couples of them

(Message edited by henk_wallays on January 09, 2007)

 

[rodrigo]

great pics! I´ve seen that happen in the wild, it was great to see it.
Good luck with them, let´s hope they don´t interfere always hehe

 

[TJ]

Nice pictures and info, Henk

For those unfamiliar with the term "sexual interference," it's been defined by Max Sparreboom (citing Stevan J. Arnold's courtship behavior studies from the 1970s) as meaning competition in which males intefere with one another's attempts to court and inseminate females, and with this particular species it's been studied in detail by Sparreboom in his terrific report Sexual Interference in the Sword-tailed Newt, Cynops ensicauda popei (Amphibia: Salamandridae) <font size="-2">Ethnology 102 (1996)</font>

On the same subject, here are some of C. ensicauda popei in the wild doing the same:

(the female is the one with the particularly large and bright white/golden spot/flake on her dorsum)

(Message edited by TJ on January 10, 2007)

 

[henk]

Now why would I love to have this site in my garden ....

They sure are interesting to bserve and not as shy as some of the other Cynops (which mainly hide under stones in the back of the plants).

 

[dawn]

I don't know how I missed looking at these photos earlier. They are really amazing! You were there at the right time! Love the commentary, too.