Population variation in salamander courtship pheromones

We examined intraand interspecific chemical variation in salamander courtship pheromones. The extent to which plethodontid receptivity factor (PRF) and other glandular components vary among populations of Plethodon jordani was analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC. Gland extracts from individuals revealed that males within a population differ in the relative amounts of the glandular components as well as in the presence and absence of components, including PRF. Comparisons between populations showed that each population had a unique elution profile and differed significantly in the relative amounts of PRF and the other extract components. Knowledge about the nature of geographic variation in the courtship pheromone, combined with behavioral tests of female response, will contribute towards understanding how the pheromone evolved.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]