Plethodon jordani

Highton, R. and Peabody, R.B. (2000) Geographic protein variation and speciation in salamanders of the Plethodon jordani and Plethodon glutinosus complexes in the southern Appalachian Mountains with the descriptions of four new species. In R.C. Bruce, R.G. laeger, and L.D. Houck. (Eds.) The biology of plethodontid salamanders. Plenum, New York, pp. 31-94. 

Houck, L.D., Bell, A.M., Reagan-Wallin, N.L. and Feldhoff, R.C. (1998) Effects of experimental delivery of male courtship pheromones on the timing of courtship in a terrestrial salamander, Plethodon jordani (Caudata Plethodontidae). Copeia 1998, 214-219. 

Another salamander courtship pheromone, identified in 1999, is a protein. During courtship, males of the Appalachian woodland salamander, Plethodon jordani, (Plethodontidae), a terrestrial species, actively deliver a pheromone to the female. In the mating season, males develop a mental gland, located... 

Amphibian pheromones have been previously isolated fh>m newt and salamander species, however, this peptide, which we have named splendipherin, is the first pheromone isolated fiom any anuran species. The delivery method of those previously isolated amphibian species are very clear. Sodefiin, the ten-residue peptide pheromone of Cynops pyrrhogaster and silefiin, the ten residue peptide pheromone of Cynops ensicauda are both sent through the water by the male newts by a vigorous shaking movement of the tail (Kikuyama et al., 1995 Yamamoto et al., 2000). The 20 kDa proteinaceous male courtship pheromone of Plethodon jordani is applied to the female s sldn by direct contact (Rollman et al., 1999). 

Organ, J. A., 1958, Courtship and spermatophore of Plethodon Jordani metcalfi, Copeia 1958 251-259. 

Arnold, S. J., 1976, Sexual behavior, sexual interference and sexual defense in the salamanders Ambystoma maculatum, Ambystoma tigrinum and Plethodon jordani, Z Tierpsychol. 42 247-300. 

Feldohoff, R., Rollman, S., Moldoveanus, L.D. Houck, L. 1997. Purification and characterization of courtship pheromone from Plethodon jordani.Abstracts, Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 8. in press. 

In most plethodontid salamanders, courtship is terrestrial and the male does not clasp the female or restrain her in any way. The male, nevertheless, makes much physical contact with the female, crawling over and under her, or rubbing her snout with his head. In particular, the male frequently delivers secretions from specialized cephalic glands directly to the female. In Plethodon jordani, the male has an enlarged mental (submandibular) gland that he slaps over the female s nares (Arnold, 1977, Fig. 8). In a related species, yonahlossee, the male also slaps his mental gland over the female s snout (Arnold, 1972). Neither P. jordani nor P. yonahlossee males use their teeth to aid in secretion delivery. 

Labanick, G. M., and Brandon, R. A., 1981, An experimental study of Batesian mimicry between the salamanders Plethodon jordani and Desmognathus ochrophaeus, J. Herpetol., 15 275. 

Madison, D. M., 1969, Homing behaviour of the red-cheeked salamander, Plethodon jordani, Anim. Bahav., 17 25. 

In addition to habitat odors, odors produced from the animal itself may be used as homing signals. The salamanders Plethodon cinereus and Plethodon jordani can distinguish between their own markings and those of conspecifics (Tristram, 1977), between the substrate markings of familiar... 

Plethodon vehiculum 1 Plethodon dnereus f Plethodon jordani melaventria Pseudoiriton ruber ackencki... 

Paracentrotus lioidus, 350 Peromyscus maniculatus, 223 Phaseolus coccineus, 114, 115 Phaseolus vulgaris, 114 Phormia regina, 341, 367 Pieris hrassicae, 349 Plethodon, 100 Plethodon cinereus, 101, 107 Plethodon jordani melaventris, 107 Plethodon vehiculum, 107 PleuTodeles waltlii, 36, 286 Pseudotriton ruber schencki, 107... 

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