Now that Guin is the only male in the free range with 2 females he's been strutting around in his courtship colors. He has made some attempts at seducing the females but so far without any luck.

Yesterday I decided to try to take pictures of one of these interactions, but what I got was a little different.
This time all Guin had to do to get 'yelled at' by one of the girls, was show up.

In the 30 minutes that following I took about 100 pictures, but I managed to bring it back to 19 for your viewing pleasure. Click here to view the slide show.
I photoshopped some text into the pictures to clarify who's doing what.
I know the quality of the pictures isn't great, but I tried to stay out of their view as much as possible so I wouldn't interrupt anything.
I thought this behavior was very interesting because all the 'aggression' came from Chaucer, the female, and the only provocation was Guin's colors. Guin was on the defensive the entire time and he didn't make any attempts to court her. Was Chaucer just testing Guin?

Anyway, I'll let you watch the slide show before starting the speculations about how to interpret this behavior.

- Suzanne

__________________
1.2.1 Ch. (T.) melleri, 1.2 Ch. (T.) jacksonii xantholophus
My work: www.gibbonsrock.com

It is asking for a password

__________________
2.2 F. Lat. Lateralis, 4.3 F. Pardalis, 1.1 jacksonii xanth, 1.0 Veiled, 1.0 Rieppeleon brev., 0.0.1 Melleri, 41 Pumpkin eggs

Oops, sorry about that. It's fixed now, it shouldn't ask for a password again.
Thanks for letting me know!

__________________
1.2.1 Ch. (T.) melleri, 1.2 Ch. (T.) jacksonii xantholophus
My work: www.gibbonsrock.com

It's fighting my computer over an Adobe 9 update! I can't view yet... arghhh!

Does Guin look like the angry female in my photo on the receptive colors thread?

__________________
Kristina Francis
http://www.melleridiscovery.com/

"The human mind treats a new idea the same way the
body treats a strange protein; it rejects it."
- Peter B. Medawar
Nobel Prize-winning immunologist

I am seeing it photo by photo in the album instead, starting at the #19 pic and going backwards.

Foot to the face! Always a dependable melleri dominance gesture.

Rostrum punch! Ouch!

Everybody onto the vine, move along. Poor bystander Merlin.

Chaucer just made certain he got the message. But she's not angry unreceptive colors, so maybe she is toying with him.

Does your camera have video? These pix were great fun!!

__________________
Kristina Francis
http://www.melleridiscovery.com/

"The human mind treats a new idea the same way the
body treats a strange protein; it rejects it."
- Peter B. Medawar
Nobel Prize-winning immunologist

That's what I was wondering. Have you seen this kind of behavior in a female towards a male in courtship colors when he isn't actually trying to court her?

I thought it was interesting how at first Chaucer attacked from below the first time and how she climbed all the way down to prepare for attack #2. I haven't seen this before, but I have seen cham move to higher position and then bear down on their opponents.
Maybe because Guin wasn't showing a lot of aggression in return she didn't like she needed an elevated position to help get her point across.

I also wonder if Guin was letting her win, his response was definitely a lot more subdued than it would have been if Dume was his opponent.

Hmm..

BTW I can see those rostrum punches being very effective, especially if the attacker still has it's horn!

If it does, I haven't figured out how to use it yet.
Once I find the manual again it will be the first thing I look up, though!

__________________
1.2.1 Ch. (T.) melleri, 1.2 Ch. (T.) jacksonii xantholophus
My work: www.gibbonsrock.com

That's a trick question- a male in courtship colors IS courting anyone who can see him. lol He might as well wear a sign saying, "Hellooooooo ladies!"

You know how Chaucer's mouth was open at first? Grace used to shoot Ferris in the face while wearing that mild green. Sometimes, she'd just open her mouth sligthly and show her tongue tip. Did you see any of Chaucer's tongue?

Attacking upwards from below is also Koku's aggression display/combat strategy. He will go so far as to skinny along a branch, slide up to the opponent, then start pushing on their toes with his rostrum, and rostal-punch their ventral surfaces/soft belly. No bites, just working with the rostrum.

I think so, part of the whole deference thing. If he lets her win, she may be less quick to chase him next time. He is trying to get off the opponent radar...?

__________________
Kristina Francis
http://www.melleridiscovery.com/

"The human mind treats a new idea the same way the
body treats a strange protein; it rejects it."
- Peter B. Medawar
Nobel Prize-winning immunologist

Great photos. What drama! And very instructive. Thank you.

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http://www.chameleonsnorthwest.com 360-893-6207

I guess that's true. In past encounters the females didn't really respond until he starting flipping his lobes.

Yeah, and I've seen her do that before. Guin even did that to Dume when Dume challenged him.

That's interesting. This was the first time I'd seen Chaucer take that approach. She usually goes for the Rhino-in-slowmotion strategy that she was using later on.

I hope it's working for him. lol Chaucer sure is a feisty lady...

__________________
1.2.1 Ch. (T.) melleri, 1.2 Ch. (T.) jacksonii xantholophus
My work: www.gibbonsrock.com

lol rostrum punch!

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Christen
1.0 Ambilobe/Ambanja cross