Courtships and Matings


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Images 1-8: Black Necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) from Greenfield Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ



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Images 9-16: American Avocets (Recurvirostris americanus) from Greenfield Riparian Preserve, Gilbert, AZ



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Images 17-24: Arizona Alligator Lizards (Elgaria kingii) from various sites in AZ. Research from dissertation at ASU, Tempe, AZ  17) Ethnogram summarizing courtship sequence and variations; 18) Approach with tongue-touching; 19) Walkover by female over male; 20-21) precopulatory guarding; 22) Male bites head of female prior to mating; 23) Mating; 24) Postcopulatory guarding while male still biting female's head