The Role of Biofluorescence in the Sexual Selection of the Eastern Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus  viridescens)

Jarzynka, Olivia

The Role of Biofluorescence in the Sexual Selection of the Eastern Red-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/59201

Author(s)

Jarzynka, Olivia

Date Issued

April 23, 2025

Abstract

Biofluorescence, the ability of organisms to absorb and re-emit light at different wavelengths, has been observed in numerous amphibian species, yet its functional significance remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the potential role of biofluorescence in the sexual selection of the Eastern-Red Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens). Through the use of multiple choice experiments, the attraction of these newts towards fluorescing members of the opposite sex was analyzed. Data were also collected regarding the rate of capture when using glow sticks as bait in live traps in an attempt to compare the relative attractiveness of blue and green fluorescent lights to newts. The results indicated a slight attraction towards blue light in both sexes. Results from control experiments suggest that male newts were significantly attracted to fluorescing females, suggesting a potential role of biofluorescence in male N. viridescens’ sexual selection processes. Conversely, female newts did not demonstrate a similar attraction toward illuminated males; a trait consistent with known mating behaviors in which males approach females for mating. While this study provides evidence to suggest that biofluorescence may play a role in N. viridescens’s sexual selection processes, further research is needed to confirm the evolutionary and ecological implications of this trait.

Major

Biology

Honors

Biology, 2025

First Reader(s)

Demi, Lee (Mick)