An observation of coiling-Around behavior as a putative Antipredator response of the Japanese fire-bellied Newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster

Antipredator behavior of Cynops pyrrhogaster was observed in the field. A male, found in a temporal pool (11.7C), tightly coiled his body around the observer's finger (putative model of predator) when he was touched from lateral side. The body-coiling was formed both dextrally and sinistrally, depending on direction from which the newt's body was touched. Undulation of tail and noxious secretion accompanied the behavior. The coiling-Around behavior was aborted immediately when the newt lost physical contact with finger. Apart from this, pushing on the head with a finger caused Unken reflex, which is commonly known as defensive behavior of newts. It is suggested that C. pyrrhogaster varies their defensive behavior depending on the situation of encounter with the predator.