On the Defensive

When provoked, the Taricha torosa newt displays an antipredator posture known as the unken reflex. The deadly toxic salamander lifts its head and tail, stretches its limbs and reveals its bright orange underbelly. USU biologists found that females of this species exhibit a more intense defensive reflex than their male counterparts.

For more information contact Amanda Mortensen, student researcher, and Edmund Brodie, Jr., professor and faculty mentor, 435-797-2489, Biology Department, College of Science, Utah State University. Mortensen displays a poster of her research Wednesday, March 22, at 12:30 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Stevenson Ballroom during USU Science Week, March 20-24, on campus.