Salamanders: A Dating Story

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Salamanders A Dating Story by Alyssa Sattler
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Overview of Salamander Courtship

• External and internal fertilization
• Location
• Dancing
• Egg Laying
• Unique rituals

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• External VS. Internal Fertilization
• External fertilization present in
  Cryptobranchidae, Hynobiidae (Asia), and
  Sirenidae.
• Eggs are fertilized as they released by the
  female and then typically abandoned.
• Internal fertilization present in all other
  salamanders.
• The male produces spermatophores which the female
  picks up and stores with her cloaca.

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Glands Hedonic glands that secrete pheromones
are under the chin in most male salamanders.
The Two-Lined Salamander also has glands on
the snout, around the eyes, and on the
tail. Spermatophores They are jelly structures
released by the male that are capped with a
mass of sperm. Shape varies from species to
species.
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First lets meet our couple
She likes to take long walks to the breeding
ponds.
He likes to eat small invertebrates and meet lots
of ladies.
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Location, Location, Location
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Going Dancing
Step 1 Pre-Insemination Step 2
Insemination Step 3 Post-Insemination
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Change in Receptivity of Female
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Insemination and Post-Insemination Amplexus
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The Eggs Pigmented eggs- usually in the
open Unpigmented eggs- deposited in nest or
hidden attended by parent Sirenidae are the
exception, laying pigmented eggs in protected
cavities at bottom of ponds Bairds Red
Salamander lays eggs individually onto leaves
underwater.
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A Few Unique Salamanders Marbled Salamander The
mate in the Fall during the dry season and lay
the eggs in totally dry ponds. Courtship does not
occur between individuals, rather a group will
rub against one another to stimulate themselves.
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Mudpuppy Male swims and crawls over female,
passing between her legs and over her tail. The
female remains immotile.
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Northern Two-Lined The female will straddle the
male rubbing her chin against the gland on his
tail. They will then walk together, the male
wagging his tail from side to side and the female
moving her head in the opposite direction.
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Works Cited Bishop, Sherman. 1962. Handbook of
Salamanders. Hafner Publishing, NewYork,
pp.4-10. Cameron, Rick. 2002. Rough-Skinned
Newt. http//racphoto.com/Amphibians/roug
hskinnednewt.htm (June 8, 2002). Scott,
David.1998. A Breeding Congress. Nat. His. Oct,
1998.