Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Aneides Lugubris Parental Behavior in male and female

Neotenic_Jaymes

Active member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
971
Reaction score
48
Location
Detroit
First off for people who have researched or have been willing to study Pletodontids in any form or way, we've come across reading about breeding habits and behaviors. Or in the field seeing for ourselves that mothers will guard a nest. There isn't much about information about male Plethodontids and parental behavior or there just isn't any information out there. I have to say that with Aneides lugubris I've seen the father guard the nest and moving the eggs around, repositioning the egg clutch with his head and snout and rubbing his face into the eggs.

I will say I don't exactly know why the pair is constantly repositioning the eggs but I assumed it was to air the eggs out. Even terrestrial eggs can suffer from a lack of oxygen. Even when the eggs were still hanging from the hide the male and female would always rub their faces into the eggs. They could be rubbing secretions onto the eggs or scenting the eggs with their own scent? Aneides Lugubris do have glands on their mouths that are associated with the reception of chemicals. Maybe they're scenting their eggs so they would know which egg clutch is their own since in wild populations multiple pairs have been documented to share one breeding site.

What do you guys think? Watch the video and come up with your own conclusions maybe I missed something that someone may see.

Here is a short video of the male repositioning the fallen egg clutch. He will always be on the left side of the screen and the female will be on the left side at all times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLPkWwIB4eE
 

Neotenic_Jaymes

Active member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
971
Reaction score
48
Location
Detroit
Sorry. In the video the male will always be on the right and the female will always be on the left.
 

SnotOtter

New member
Joined
Aug 4, 2015
Messages
90
Reaction score
5
Location
Ohio
Sorry. In the video the male will always be on the right and the female will always be on the left.

First off man....awesomesauce!

My guess would be aerating to prevent fungal growth. Most commonly known detriment to all moisture loving eggs. Dont some plethodontids even eat fungal infected eggs, assumed to prevent spreading? Like I said, just my guess, I try to go with the most common and/or obvious reasons myself.
 

AdvythAF

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
123
Reaction score
12
Location
San Jose, California
I have never heard of male plethodontids guarding eggs...that is really interesting.

I think the parents are rubbing anti-fungal secretions on the eggs, but I'm not sure. The behavior is sure fascinating. :D
 

Neotenic_Jaymes

Active member
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
Messages
971
Reaction score
48
Location
Detroit
I have never heard of male plethodontids guarding eggs...that is really interesting.

I've never seen or heard such a thing. The male rarely left the hide and only left the eggs to eat. The mother never ventured outside the hide. She only ate crickets that came into or near the opening of the hide. Also the male never ventured into the other hide during the whole gestation period of the eggs and left as soon they hatched.
 

schmiggle

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2015
Messages
88
Reaction score
2
Location
Massachusetts
According to Amphibiaweb, there's a few papers that say that males often attend the eggs as well as females:
AmphibiaWeb - Aneides lugubris
I wasn't able to find the papers, though. I wonder if females get much to eat at all during the breeding season in the wild.
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top