Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
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Online Publication Date: 01 Aug 2004

Potential Interference Competition between a Patchily Distributed Salamander (Plethodon petraeus) and a Sympatric Congener (Plethodon glutinosus)

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Page Range: 488 – 495
DOI: 10.1643/CE-03-211R
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Abstract

Aggressive interference can be an important expression of competitive interactions within and among species. We studied potential interference between two similar-sized, sympatric species of woodland salamander. The Pigeon Mountain Salamander, Plethodon petraeus, occurs in habitat patches of rocky outcroppings along a restricted area on the eastern flank of Pigeon Mountain in northwestern Georgia. This species is relatively rare in the intervening areas of forest-floor habitat, which is occupied by a similar-sized, potential competitor, the Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus). Both species exhibited aggression and defended territories against conspecifics and heterospecifics in laboratory-based encounters. Individuals of P. glutinosus were superior in aggressive encounters with individuals of P. petraeus. Coexistence of the two species occurs because habitats are partially exclusive. There is enough habitat overlap, however, to generate possible interspecific competition. We hypothesize that the presence of territorial, aggressive P. glutinosus in areas between habitat patches may influence interpatch dispersal by P. petraeus.

Copyright: The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
 Fig. 1. 
 Fig. 1. 

Time to escape for resident Plethodon petraeus and Plethodon glutinosus among different treatments. Triangles represent event times for P. petraeus, and circles represent event times for P. glutinosus. (A) Resident salamanders against surrogate intruders. (B) Resident salamanders against P. petraeus intruders. (C) Resident salamanders against P. glutinosus intruders


 Fig. 2. 
 Fig. 2. 

Time to escape for intruder Plethodon petraeus and Plethodon glutinosus among different treatments. Triangles represent event times for P. petraeus, and circles represent event times for P. glutinosus. (A) Intruder salamanders against surrogate residents. (B) Intruder salamanders against P. petraeus residents. (C) Intruder salamanders against P. glutinosus residents


Contributor Notes

(JLM) Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019; (CDC) Department of Biology, Piedmont College, P.O. Box 10, Demorest, Georgia 30535; and (RGJ) Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana 70503. (CDC) ccamp@piedmont.edu Send reprint requests to CDC.

Accepted: 02 Feb 2004
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