Antipredator behavior of newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster) against snakes

Newts and salamanders show remarkable diversity in antipredator behavior, developed to enhance their chemical defenses and/or aposematism. The present study reports on the antipredator behavior of newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster) in response to snakes. Newts displayed a significant amount of tail-wagging and tail-undulation in response to a contact stimulus from the snake's tongue, which is a snake-specific predator stimulus, as compared to a control stimulus (behavioral scores: tongue, 1.05 +/- 0.41; control, 0.15 +/- 0.15). Newts that were kept in warm temperature conditions, 20 degrees C (at which snakes are active in nature), performed tail displays more frequently than newts kept in low-temperature conditions, 4 degrees C (at which snakes are inactive in nature). Our results suggest that the tail displays of C. pyrrhogaster could function as an antipredator defense; they direct a snake's attention to its tail to prevent the snake from attacking more vulnerable body parts. We also discussed the reason for inter-populational variation in the tendency of newts to perform tail displays.

Automated summary

Newts and salamanders exhibit diverse antipredator behaviors in response to snakes, with tail displays being a key defense mechanism. The study found that newts displayed increased tail-wagging and tail-undulation in response to snake-specific predator stimuli, potentially redirecting the snake's attention away from vulnerable body parts. The variation in tail display tendencies among newt populations was also discussed.