Noxious skin secretions of an eastern small Plethodon, P nettingi hubrichti
Dodd CK, Johnson JA, Brodie ED. 1974. Noxious skin secretions of an eastern small Plethodon, P nettingi hubrichti. Journal of Herpetology. 8(1):89-92
In an investigation of mimicry among salamanders, these authors find experimental evidence to support a reason for certain similarities among species. (For example, populations of Desmognathus ochrophaeus mimic Plethodon species of their Appalachian habitats.) To test possible noxious chemicals in the skin of copied species, birds, hedgehogs, and other predators were offered Peaks of Otter salamanders (Plethodon hubrichti, found only in a limited section of the Blue Ridge Parkway). Most of the predators either avoided these salamanders or showed ill effects (signs of discomfort from eating them). The salamanders also emitted a secretion into the face of a turtle attempting predation. Predators with alternate food sources learned to avoid these salamanders with evident noxious properties.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Dodd, C; Johnson, Judith; Brodie, Edmund
- Units
- BLRI
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Peaks of Otter (BLRI), Peaks of Otter salamander (Plethodon hubrichti), Predation, Salamanders (Caudata), Section 1-K Blue Ridge Parkway