Mating behavior of the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus; Lacertidae, Reptilia)

Abstract

Information about the mating behaviors of an endangered species is critical for the understanding of the natural history of the species as well as in situ and ex situ breeding programs designed to rehabilitate field populations. We describe the mating behaviors of the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), an endangered species in South Korea. The mating of this species consists of precopulatory, copulatory, and postcopulatory stages and is composed of 12 different mating behaviors. During the postcopulatory stage, other males or females not involved in mating show more interference behaviors than during the precopulatory and copulatory stages. The male E. argus has an extraordinarily long postcopulatory bite, which may function as a type of mate-guarding behavior. This study is the first report on the mating behavior of a South Korean reptile. © 2012 Copyright Korean Society for Integrative Biology.