Genitalpräsentation bei Echsen und Schlangen: Verteidigung oder Drohbalz oder beides?/Hemipenis display in lizards and snakes: defense or courtship or both?

Hemipenial display was so far observed in some lizard and snake species as a defensive, aposematic reaction, directed against allospecifics which generally seems to be true for snakes. In lizards, however, there are also a few species where a deliberate genital presentation was observed, undoubtedly in a sexual context and thus directed towards conspecifics. This behavior, so far only known from mammals (rodents and primates), is briefly reviewed and discussed here.