{"id":{"repo_id":"unlv","oai_identifier":"oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1955"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/unlv/oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1955","repository":{"repo_id":"unlv","name":"University of Nevada - Las Vegas","base_url":"https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Analysis of courtship behaviors of the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii","abstract":"General descriptions of courtship behavior have been published for the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii. However, the amount and sources of variation in courtship behaviors have not been documented. I examined courtship behavior by analyzing videotaped interactions between captive males and females. I calculated duration of three courtship phases (trailing, subduing, and mounting) and quantified the number and rate of rams and bites. Male courtship behavior changed with increased courtship experience, and smaller males showed more variable behavior than larger males. Larger males bit small females at higher rates than did smaller males. Courtship varied in response to female size. Large males bit smaller females at faster rates than they bit larger females, an indication of behavioral plasticity. Males in successful matings were larger, mounted longer, rammed less, and bit more than males in unsuccessful matings. These results lend insight into the sources and amount of variability in reptilian reproductive behaviors.","abstract_html":"General descriptions of courtship behavior have been published for the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii. However, the amount and sources of variation in courtship behaviors have not been documented. I examined courtship behavior by analyzing videotaped interactions between captive males and females. I calculated duration of three courtship phases (trailing, subduing, and mounting) and quantified the number and rate of rams and bites. Male courtship behavior changed with increased courtship experience, and smaller males showed more variable behavior than larger males. Larger males bit small females at higher rates than did smaller males. Courtship varied in response to female size. Large males bit smaller females at faster rates than they bit larger females, an indication of behavioral plasticity. Males in successful matings were larger, mounted longer, rammed less, and bit more than males in unsuccessful matings. These results lend insight into the sources and amount of variability in reptilian reproductive behaviors.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Holte, Rebecca Lynn"],"institution":"University of Nevada, Las Vegas","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biological Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Charles Douglas"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1998,"date_issued":"1998-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1998-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:24:53Z","subjects":[],"languages":["English"],"rights":["IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956","href":"https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.25669/uvae-jcng","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Charles Douglas"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Holte, Rebecca Lynn"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Nevada, Las Vegas"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.25669/uvae-jcng","https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956","https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/context/rtds/article/1955/viewcontent/uc.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["General descriptions of courtship behavior have been published for the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii. However, the amount and sources of variation in courtship behaviors have not been documented. I examined courtship behavior by analyzing videotaped interactions between captive males and females. I calculated duration of three courtship phases (trailing, subduing, and mounting) and quantified the number and rate of rams and bites. Male courtship behavior changed with increased courtship experience, and smaller males showed more variable behavior than larger males. Larger males bit small females at higher rates than did smaller males. Courtship varied in response to female size. Large males bit smaller females at faster rates than they bit larger females, an indication of behavioral plasticity. Males in successful matings were larger, mounted longer, rammed less, and bit more than males in unsuccessful matings. These results lend insight into the sources and amount of variability in reptilian reproductive behaviors."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Analysis of courtship behaviors of the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Charles Douglas"],"dc:creator":["Holte, Rebecca Lynn"],"dc:description.abstract":["General descriptions of courtship behavior have been published for the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii. However, the amount and sources of variation in courtship behaviors have not been documented. I examined courtship behavior by analyzing videotaped interactions between captive males and females. I calculated duration of three courtship phases (trailing, subduing, and mounting) and quantified the number and rate of rams and bites. Male courtship behavior changed with increased courtship experience, and smaller males showed more variable behavior than larger males. Larger males bit small females at higher rates than did smaller males. Courtship varied in response to female size. Large males bit smaller females at faster rates than they bit larger females, an indication of behavioral plasticity. Males in successful matings were larger, mounted longer, rammed less, and bit more than males in unsuccessful matings. These results lend insight into the sources and amount of variability in reptilian reproductive behaviors."],"dc:format":["pdf"],"dc:identifier":["10.25669/uvae-jcng","https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956","https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/context/rtds/article/1955/viewcontent/uc.pdf"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of Nevada, Las Vegas"],"dc:rights":["IN COPYRIGHT. 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