Meeting Abstract
Plethodontid salamander courtship is an elaborate yet conserved set of behaviors that employ many different signals, including tactile and chemical. Certain glands within the salamander’s dermis produce pheromones that aid in courtship behavior; these are known as courtship glands. These glands are sexually dimorphic, stain positively with the periodic-acid Schiff reagent, and are active during courtship. Glands of this sort have been described in several areas of the salamander dermis. Previously, courtship glands have been identified in male Desmognathus brimleyorum on the dorsal tail base. Using histology, we describe courtship glands on the dorsal and ventral surface of the tail base in both male and female D. brimleyorum. These glands are sexually dimorphic in size; male courtship glands are larger than female glands. Granular and mucous glands are not sexually dimorphic. Previously, caudal courtship glands have been described only on the dorsal tail base of D. brimleyorum males. Our results describing their presence in females and on the ventral tail surface raises questions about their functional significance.
