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Gregarious behaviour in a salamander: attraction to conspecific chemical cues in burrow choice

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Abstract

Gregarious behaviour (i.e. living in groups in contrast to a solitary life) is commonly observed in mammals, but rarely documented in amphibians. Environmental features and/or animal mutual attractions can promote the formation of aggregations that may both reduce the risks of dehydration and predation and increase mate access and fitness. Luschan’s salamander (Mertensiella luschani) lives in permanently arid Mediterranean environments; individuals shelter in cracks and crevices and leave only during favourable periods. In this study we examined the role of chemical tracks, in self and conspecific recognition (i.e. gregarious/solitary behaviour), on the social structure of this species. Our results show that juveniles and adults of both sexes use chemical scents deposited on substrate to relocate their shelter. In contrast to numerous other salamander species, Luschan’s salamanders also use social information, conveyed by conspecific scents, to identify a safe shelter. Furthermore, this scent marking does not play a role in sexual attraction but allows sex discrimination. This species exhibits gregarious behaviour (i.e. conspecific attraction) as a possible adaptation to dry environments. We discuss both ultimate and proximate factors in the evolution from a solitary to a gregarious life.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Région Rhône-Alpes (program “EMERGENCE”) and the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) for providing the financial support for this study (to P.G. and K.O.) and the CNRS-TUBITAK/TBAG for their financial support in Turkey. We thank Tatiana Czeschlik, Jacob Christensen-Dalsgaard and two anonymous referees for their comments on the manuscript. We would like to express our gratitude to E. Haine, M.-J. Holveck, C. Mondet and E. Williamson for helping us improve an early version of this paper. The research presented has been approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Savoie University at Le Bourget du Lac (France).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Alpine Ecology, University of Savoie, UMR CNRS 5553, 73376, Le Bourget du Lac, France

    Patrick Gautier & Claude Miaud

  2. Biyoloji Bölümü, Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi, Adnan Menderes Universitesi, 09010, Kepez-Aydin, Turkey

    Kurtulus Olgun & Nazan Uzum

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  1. Patrick Gautier
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  2. Kurtulus Olgun
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  4. Claude Miaud
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Correspondence to Patrick Gautier or Claude Miaud.

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Communicated by J. Christensen-Dalsgaard

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Gautier, P., Olgun, K., Uzum, N. et al. Gregarious behaviour in a salamander: attraction to conspecific chemical cues in burrow choice. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 59, 836–841 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-005-0130-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-005-0130-8

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