Before you start with the "they ares", you first must understand. The error of the term. Its often called, ritualized. A ritual, is something repeated in an unthinking way. One difinition is scripted. They are suppose to just do it. The same thing. This is far far from accurate.
They have a whole series of behaviors. They do what is needed at the time and place and under conditions that predict that need. That is, its a simple lauguage. Its practiced by both sexes and all sizes.
The one part of this language that most often is viewed and is very repeatable, is when you find two males of equal size or you place two males of equal size in a cage. The start is when one male presents to another, that is, makes it known hes there. This can be a bump, nudge, or poke. That gives the other male a chance to decide what he wants to do. Normally if the other male is smaller or weaker, which is the most common case. The stronger or larger male will simply bite him and chase him off. End of that story.
Chase him off of what. Why are they doing this. Well, its called a ritualized territorial display. So it must be about territory? Well it can be, but not always. In reality, its about all sorts of stuff, more about pocessions, like territory, or females, or males, or food, or a hole, or a basking spot, or anything that they may disagree on.
Does this behavior chase the loser away, never to return? NO. It just sets boundries. You know, Like Keith tried to do with me went I first came here. In this case, the one I posted. Those males were coiled up together, just a couple days ago. No problems. They were also coiled up together last year. And the year before and the year before. My bet is, they will be coiled up together next year too.
Will it prevent the weaker male from spreading his inferior genes(mans stupid common preception) heck no. In this case, the weaker individual, simply left and circled around and went back to the female. He cheated. hahahahahahahahaha.
Is it about chasing a maurading male from another area away. Not in this case. These two are buddies and are together every year. There are other males that will not go near this place. They stay nearby and hope to get the scraps(whatever that means)
These type of display is complicated and there are many parts to it. They only do what parts that are necessary and fit the situation.
On our montane study site. We often wonder why we do not see this behavior, we find males near eachother all the time. It should be a common site. Its not. But you can go out and catch a male from one area and throw him in with a male from another area and they will combat. But the individuals on our site, do not combat commonly or at least not everytime another male is near. Or at least common enough for us to see it.
This post is to raise more questions and is not a complete discription. I do not have the time to write a complete discription. But I do have the time to talk about small parts of this story(language) Cheers
This is a large female diamondback laying in that bed.
