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. 1990 Jan;16(1):27-36.
doi: 10.1007/BF01021265.

Sex recognition in the leopard gecko,Eublepharis macularius (Sauria: Gekkonidae) Possible mediation by skin-derived semiochemicals

R T Mason  1 , W H Gutzke
Affiliations

Sex recognition in the leopard gecko,Eublepharis macularius (Sauria: Gekkonidae) Possible mediation by skin-derived semiochemicals

R T Mason et al. J Chem Ecol. 1990 Jan.

Abstract

Male leopard geckoes,Eublepharis macularius, rely on skin-derived semiochemicals to determine the sex of conspecifics. Males respond to other males with agonistic behavior while females elicit courtship behavior from males. While females were shedding, males responded to them with agonistic behavior. The same females were courted both before and after shedding. An initial survey of hexane-extracted skin lipids from male and female geckoes revealed fatty acids common to both sexes. Several steroid analogs of cholesterol were unique to males while long-chain methyl ketones were unique to females. Results are discussed in the context of skin lipids serving as pheromones in reptiles.

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