Tóm tắt
In an attempt to determine whether salamanders (Plethodon jordani) can discriminate between the odors of conspecifics based on proximity of residence, a two-choice system was used to measure the preference of salamanders for the odors of conspecifics of the same sex that occupied adjacent or more distant home ranges. Before the breeding season, the odors of the neighboring conspecifics were preferred to those of non-neighbors. During the breeding season, neither sex showed a significant odor preference, although the females showed a significant change in preference toward the odor of the non-neighboring conspecific. These results indicate the ability of salamanders to discriminate between the odors of conspecifics of the same sex, and suggest the discrimination of odors based on kinship relationships.
