Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

Biofluorescence is recognized as an important form of visual communication, yet its function remains largely untested in many terrestrial species. In Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders (Plethodon cinereus), fluorescence of the postcloacal gland is a sexually dimorphic trait most strongly expressed in males. Because fluorescence can be displayed during territorial contests, we hypothesized that fluorescence in male P. cinereus would be positively related to resource holding potential (RHP) of territorial residents in the field. To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship between fluorescence and two separate variables: body condition (as a proxy for RHP) and territory quality (the expected payoff from superior RHP). Our data offered some support for the hypothesis that fluorescence is an honest signal of RHP. Fluorescence was marginally and positively associated with body condition in spring but not in the fall when fluorescence peaks. This suggests a cost of maintaining fluorescence through summer and into the fall breeding season. In the spring, greater fluorescence correlated with higher numbers of high-quality prey like Collembola, while in fall, fluorescence tended to be negatively associated with low-quality prey. Our data suggest that seasonal variation in fluorescence of the postcloacal gland in male Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders may be associated with a trade-off in energy allocation that affects RHP. Costs associated with production or maintenance of fluorescence year-round may result in a reduced signal in the spring when salamanders resurface and establish territories, but in the fall, males may redirect energy to producing a strong fluorescence signal to attract potential mates

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