Species recognition of four species of salamanders, Ambystoma, tigrinum, A. maculatum, A. opacum, and A. tremblavi, was studied in a series of investigations performed from September 9, 1984 to October 29, 1984. The purpose of the study was to determine if vision is a component in interspecies recognition in these salamanders and, if so, to determine what specific sign stimuli are effective.A total of 23 individual salamanders were tested in three experimental situations involving choices between live conspecific and heterospecific salamanders, live conspecifics and heterospecifics where no olfactory cues were available, and between different models, varying either in pattern composition or ground color.In the preliminary tests, all four species of salamander preferred their conspecifics. In the live animal tests only the tiger salamanders preferred their conspecifics. In the model tests only the tiger salamanders showed a preference for one of the models, preferring the supernormal to the natural model.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/182908 |
| Date | January 1984 |
| Creators | Britt, S. Ellen |
| Contributors | List, James C. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | v, 24 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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