Ritual Fights: Many reptile courtship displays are nothing more than ritual fighting between rival males. They threaten each other by changing shape and color or by producing loud noises. They also use threatening behavior, such as lunging toward an opponent and acting as if they are biting. These contests are often only ritual shows of strength, with each male trying to gain dominance over the other. The male common agama lizard threatens a rival by bobbing his head. If the rival remains, the agama rears up on its hind legs while its body becomes pale and spotted. After this display, the rival males lash out at each other with their muscular tails until one retreats.

Courtship Behavior: Reptiles use a variety of behavior and displays for courting. These may include unusual changes in shape and color. The male eastern fence lizard moves his body to show off bright blue skin on his throat and stomach. If the female is not ready to mate, she arches her back, raises herself off the ground, and jumps away sideways.

Territorial Displays: Many species of reptile – especially lizards – become more territorial at the start of breeding season. The males’ displays are intended to frighten away other males. The Australian frilled lizard raises a wide collar, or frill, of skin around his neck. He also shows off his powerful teeth and a bright red mouth. The territorial green anole lizard often expands his territory up to 20 times when he is ready to mate. He threatens intruders by inflating a throat sac that has patches of bright red and blue skin. Males of other anole species raise crests on the backs of their necks and inflate throat pouches while making loud noises.

Breeding: The Nile crocodile mates when it is five or six years old. At the start of each mating season, males share their territories along the riverbank with females and immature males. The male selects a female and displays by thrashing his tail and snout through the water. The pair swims in circles, with the male on the outside as he approaches the female. Alligators also mate in the water, but usually at night. The male attracts a female by opening his jaws and roaring and by giving off a scent from glands in his throat.

Snake Courtship: Snakes lack the frills, crests, and changeable colors that other reptiles use for visual display during courtship rituals. Instead, snakes attract each other by giving off, or secreting, a chemical substance through their skin. This chemical, called a pheromone, enables them to communicate with other members of the same snake species. For example, when they are ready to breed, female adders secrete a pheromone as they pass through the undergrowth. The male adder can identify the pheromone by collecting the scent with his tongue. He transfers it to two sense organs on the roof of his mouth, called the Jacobson’s organ. The male determines the females direction and follows her. He occasionally flicks his tongue into the air to ensure that he is still on the females track.

In the fall, the North American red sided garter snake forms hibernating colonies of a few females and several hundred males. During mating, between 30 and 100 red sided garter snake males gather around each female. The group of snakes becomes a twisted, squirming mass as each male tries to position himself for mating. At the height of mating season, the ground may be covered with many masses of snakes. The mass of coiled garter snakes breaks up after the female has mated. Chin rubbing is part of the garter snakes mating ritual. The mating ritual of the greater Indian rat snake is long and elaborate. The male and female snakes writhe and entwine each other in their coils. After about an hour, the female finally allows the male to mate with her.

Did You Know:
The male Texas banded gecko attracts a mate by striking her gently with his tail and licking her sides.
The marine iguana normally has gray brown skin. During mating season, the iguana develops red spots on its skin.