Unken reflex in tiger salamanders

[paris]

here are some pictures of my local tiger salamanders doing the unken reflex. i come across these on the roads and some will reflex when i approach and some you have to poke in the back. they dont have bright undersides so its not like the ones done by tarichas-these guys cover their heads essentially -so i guess when approached by a predator their tails will be what gets bitten. [i had one once i found on the road who had a broken jaw (it lived) - my guess was that since the tail was missing that when a car ran over it's tail and anchored it - it then reflexed its body in the normal way and it's head rammed straight into the tire]....these first 2 pics are in sequence -notice how far they stretch forward on their back toes!...doesnt this first one look so sassy?

these are some pics from different sides

(Message edited by paris on July 18, 2004)

 

[jennifer]

Interesting! I didn't know tigers did the unken.

 

[joseph]

I'm pretty sure even tigers have some kind of chemical defense. Livingunderworld.org mentions head butting, the paratoid glands on the back of the head with the head swung around so the predator contacts that area.