# Slow worms in courtship?



## Gaboon (Jun 20, 2005)

Got this off my phone from a few years ago. I have always thought it to be of a pair in courtship, any ideas?


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## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

That is exactly what that is;Courtship. This is what Colin Simms had to say about it as long ago as 1970;

"Not much enthusiasm seems to be worked up in encounters, even for mating. have seen the something of the pre-nuptial behaviour twice in Yorkshire, and it is conducted more slowly (if not noticeably more gently) than with the other species. The male makes the initial advances, but in the embrace the female appears to be more dominant- perhaps because of her more flexible tail, which tends to coil tightly round the male. As with the other species [of British Lizards, the title of the book is Lives of British Lizards], the male grasps the female tightly behind the head from behind, after a few preparatory licks, and the mated female can usually be told from the others for months thereafter by the fresh scars on her nape".(Simms,1970:117)


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## Gaboon (Jun 20, 2005)

Thanks for the quote! That is interesting, as I have noticed scars but always presumed them to be battle scars (maybe cats) regardless of where they are on the body. I left these two alone once a sneaked in a photo, lucky my phone was handy! 

Cheers!


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## red foot marg (Feb 19, 2008)

Gaboon said:


> Thanks for the quote! That is interesting, as I have noticed scars but always presumed them to be battle scars (maybe cats) regardless of where they are on the body. I left these two alone once a sneaked in a photo, lucky my phone was handy!
> 
> Cheers!


Now that is one cool picture !!!


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## Podarcis (Mar 1, 2010)

It is a really interesting shot. Where was it taken?


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## Gaboon (Jun 20, 2005)

red foot marg said:


> Now that is one cool picture !!!


Thanks!



Podarcis said:


> It is a really interesting shot. Where was it taken?


These two were found in a friends old garden in Gorseinon, South Wales under some debris. My mate has since moved out and I believe his ex is still there, with cats! When I used to visit there would appear to be be a thriving population, young, old, and both sexes would be found in high numbers. The cats were bought a kittens so hopefully the slow worm population had enough time to react and disperse. 

Glad you like the photo!


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