A dorsal tail tubercle containing hypertrophied granular and mucous glands is present in female Salamandra luschani (salamandridae)

The salamander Salamandra luschani is characterized by a tubercle, well documented in males, projecting from the dorsal surface of the tail base. To determine whether females have a tubercle containing modified secretory glands, we surveyed museum specimens and conducted a histological investigation of the dorsal tail base region. Our results show that most mature females do have a tubercle in the dorsal tail base region and even nontubercle females have hypertrophied glands in this area. Both granular and mucous glands within the tubercle are hypertrophied. The tubercle is smaller in females than in males. Underling the hypertrophied granular glands in the tubercle region of some females are very large, previously undocumented, exocrine glands.