Analysis of courtship behaviors of the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Science

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1998

Author dc:creator

• Holte, Rebecca Lynn

Contributors dc:contributor

• Charles Douglas

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/956

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1955