Function of Nest Attendance in the American Alligator
Kushlan JA and Kushlan MS. 1980. Function of Nest Attendance in the American Alligator. Herpetologica. 36(1):27-32
Alligators are known to remain in attendance at their nest, but the nature and function of this behavior have not been demonstrated. The response of an attending alligator to an intruder may include an ordered sequence of up to ten progressively more agonistic behaviors which terminate in an attack. The function of these behaviors appears to be to guard the nest against potential predators. Attending alligators respond differently to various potential predators depending in part on the intensity of the threat. Several factors, especially experience, modulate the response and determine the behavior of individual alligators.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kushlan, James; Kushlan, Marilyn
- Units
- EVER
- Keywords
- American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Animal Behavior, Animal Studies, Nests & Nesting