Earthworm Alarm Pheromone Is a Garter Snake Chemoattractant<sup>a</sup>

Halpern, J A; Schulman, Nancy; Halpern, Mimi

doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1987.tb43545.x

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Ressler et al . (1968) discovered an alarm pheromone in earthworm mucus, and Halpern et al . (1987) demonstrated that earthworm mucus is aversive to other earthworms whereas earthworm surface wash has no aversive effect.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These two stimuli have obvious differences in viscosity as one is an aqueous wash and the other is a mucus. Mucus is an aversive stimulus to earthworms, surface wash is not ( Halpern et al . 1987 ).…”

Section: Expt 3 – Sensory Control Of Head Rubbingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Earthworms were used as the prey item because: 1. they are palatable to many species, some of which are earthworm specialists ( Table 2); and 2. the chemoattractive properties of earthworm surface secretions have been well studied (earthworm alarm pheromone –Ressler et al . 1968 ; chemoattractive properties –Burghardt 1969; Halpern et al . 1987 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

Cunningham¹,

Burghardt²

1999

Ethology

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For a comparative study of facial grooming behavior, we selected five species of colubrid snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis, T. butleri, T. melanogaster, Storeria dekayi, and Cyclophiops semicarinatus) based upon their phylogenetic relationships and natural diets. In an initial descriptive study, head‐rubbing behavior reliably followed ingestion of earthworms in all five species. Three forms of head rubbing were identified, including two forms of labial rubbing and one form of rostral area rubbing. The latter occurs during foraging as well as grooming. Two additional controlled experiments were then performed. One experiment assessed the effects of multiple feedings with either normal or immobilized earthworms. The second tested the effects of allowing snakes to contact surface secretions of earthworms and purified mucin without physically contacting the worm. The snakes showed a significantly greater number of head rubs when consuming active earthworms than when consuming immobilized worms, and this increased over the five trials. The snakes also head rubbed more frequently in response to earthworm mucus than to either earthworm surface wash or diluted mucin. The physical properties of earthworm mucus (adhesiveness) thus seem to stimulate head‐rubbing behavior. Differences in head rubbing among the species are discussed in relation to natural diet and phylogenetic relatedness. Furthermore, mouth gaping often occurred with head rubbing and can be distinguished from yawning. Tactile and kinesthetic cues associated with this gaping behavior may aid in regulating the occurrence of head rubbing. Neonate snakes head rubbed in a species‐typical manner.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Expt 3 – Sensory Control Of Head Rubbingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

Cunningham¹,

Burghardt²

1999

Ethology

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“…In these predator-prey systems, the alarm signal may benefit the sender by attracting additional predators that disrupt the predation event, allowing the prey an opportunity to escape (Mathis et al, 1995). Previous studies have shown that damage-released chemical alarm signals from prey are attractive to a variety of vertebrate predators, including Gray and Blacktip Sharks (Tester, 1963), Northern Pike (Mathis et al, 1995;Chivers et al, 1996), and garter snakes (Halpern et al, 1986).…”

Section: Chemical Signals In Vertebrate Predator-prey Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Signals in Vertebrate Predator-Prey Systems Involving Common Musk Turtles, Sternotherus Odoratus, and Their Predators

Moll

Dazet

2014

jnah

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Rathke’s gland secretions (RGS) of Common Musk Turtles have a variety of proposed functions including predator deterrence and attraction, but experimental studies testing these hypotheses are lacking. This study used laboratory and field experiments to test whether RGS had attraction or repellent effects on two natural predators, the Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), and the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). In a laboratory experiment, we examined latency to feed and consumption times for Cottonmouths offered RGS-treated minnows and control minnows. In a field study, we investigated the ratio of snapping turtles appearing in traps with and without RGS-treated bait. The latency to feed times for Cottonmouths offered RGS-treated minnows were not significantly different from those offered control minnows. However, prey consumption times for Cottonmouths feeding on RGS-treated minnows were significantly greater than those feeding on control minnows. These results suggest that the RGS may lengthen the time of a predation sequence, possibly allowing the turtle more time to escape from the predator. The number of snapping turtles appearing in traps with RGS-treated bait was significantly greater than the number of snapping turtles in traps without RGS-treated bait. These results support the predator attraction hypothesis, where the signal may attract additional predators that interfere with a predation event, providing an opportunity for the prey to escape.

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“…Lastly, we predicted that red-backed salamanders would be attracted to non-injured earthworm cues because earthworms frequently inhabit the same refuges as red-backed salamanders, and represent a potential food source (Maerz, 2000). But, we hypothesized that red-backed salamanders would avoid macerated earthworm because earthworm alarm cues (discovered by Ressler et al, 1968) attract garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) (Halpern et al, 1986), a documented predator of red-backed salamanders (Hamilton, 1951).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural Responses by Red-backed Salamanders to Conspecific and Heterospecific Cues

Sullivan

Madison²,

Rohr³

2003

Behav

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Chemical cues released from injured prey are thought to indicate the proximity of a predator or predation event, and therefore, an area of elevated predation risk. Prey often avoid chemical cues released from injured heterospecifics, but there is little evidence to determine whether this is due to homologous cues among phylogenetically related species, or avoidance of injured syntopic species that experience predation from the same predators. The purpose of this study was to examine the response of terrestrial red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) to chemical cues from non-injured and injured members of their prey guild that vary in their relatedness to P.cinereus. In the laboratory, P.cinereus avoided chemical cues from injured conspecifics, injured and non-injured slimy salamanders (P.glutinosus), and injured confamilial dusky salamanders (Desmognathus ochrophaeus). Red-backed salamanders did not avoid rinses from non-injured conspecifics and dusky salamanders, or cues from injured and non-injured earthworms (Lumbricus sp.), a more distantly related prey guild member. These results cannot be fully explained by either phylogenetic relatedness (among plethodontid salamanders) or prey guild membership alone. We suggest that a combination of these factors, and perhaps others, likely influenced the evolution of heterospecific alarm cue avoidance in the red-backed salamander.

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Earthworm Alarm Pheromone Is a Garter Snake Chemoattractant^a

Cited by 14 publications

References 4 publications

A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

Chemical Signals in Vertebrate Predator-Prey Systems Involving Common Musk Turtles, Sternotherus Odoratus, and Their Predators

Behavioural Responses by Red-backed Salamanders to Conspecific and Heterospecific Cues

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Earthworm Alarm Pheromone Is a Garter Snake Chemoattractanta

Cited by 14 publications

References 4 publications

A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

A Comparative Study of Facial Grooming after Prey Ingestion in Colubrid Snakes

Chemical Signals in Vertebrate Predator-Prey Systems Involving Common Musk Turtles, Sternotherus Odoratus, and Their Predators

Behavioural Responses by Red-backed Salamanders to Conspecific and Heterospecific Cues

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Earthworm Alarm Pheromone Is a Garter Snake Chemoattractant^a