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Peignier M, Ringler M, Ringler E. Odor cues rather than personality affect tadpole deposition in a neotropical poison frog. Curr Zool 2024; 70:332-342. [PMID: 39027420 PMCID: PMC7616257 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad042/7274628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals constantly need to evaluate available external and internal information to make appropriate decisions. Identifying, assessing, and acting on relevant cues in contexts such as mate choice, intra-sexual competition, and parental care is particularly important for optimizing individual reproductive success. Several factors can influence decision-making, such as external environmental cues and the animal's own internal state, yet, we have limited knowledge on how animals integrate available information. Here, we used an entire island population (57 males, 53 females, and 1,109 tadpoles) of the neotropical brilliant-thighed poison frog Allobates femoralis to investigate how 2 factors (olfactory cues and personality traits) influence the ability of males to find and use new resources for tadpole deposition. We experimentally manipulated the location of tadpole deposition sites and their associated olfactory cues, and repeatedly measured exploration and boldness in adult males. We further reconstructed tadpole deposition choices via inferred parent-offspring relationships of adult frogs and tadpoles deposited in our experimental pools using molecular parentage analysis. We found that the discovery and use of new rearing sites were heavily influenced by olfactory cues; however, we did not find an effect of the measured behavioral traits on resource discovery and use. We conclude that in highly dynamic environments such as tropical rainforests, reliable external cues likely take priority over personality traits, helping individuals to discover and make use of reproductive resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Peignier
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030Vienna, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, 1030Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, 8010Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210Vienna, Austria
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2
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Peignier M, Ringler M, Ringler E. Odor cues rather than personality affect tadpole deposition in a neotropical poison frog. Curr Zool 2024; 70:332-342. [PMID: 39035761 PMCID: PMC11255997 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals constantly need to evaluate available external and internal information to make appropriate decisions. Identifying, assessing, and acting on relevant cues in contexts such as mate choice, intra-sexual competition, and parental care is particularly important for optimizing individual reproductive success. Several factors can influence decision-making, such as external environmental cues and the animal's own internal state, yet, we have limited knowledge on how animals integrate available information. Here, we used an entire island population (57 males, 53 females, and 1,109 tadpoles) of the neotropical brilliant-thighed poison frog Allobates femoralis to investigate how 2 factors (olfactory cues and personality traits) influence the ability of males to find and use new resources for tadpole deposition. We experimentally manipulated the location of tadpole deposition sites and their associated olfactory cues, and repeatedly measured exploration and boldness in adult males. We further reconstructed tadpole deposition choices via inferred parent-offspring relationships of adult frogs and tadpoles deposited in our experimental pools using molecular parentage analysis. We found that the discovery and use of new rearing sites were heavily influenced by olfactory cues; however, we did not find an effect of the measured behavioral traits on resource discovery and use. We conclude that in highly dynamic environments such as tropical rainforests, reliable external cues likely take priority over personality traits, helping individuals to discover and make use of reproductive resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Peignier
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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3
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Ringler E, Rojas B, Stynoski JL, Schulte LM. What Amphibians Can Teach Us About the Evolution of Parental Care. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2023; 54:43-62. [PMID: 38989250 PMCID: PMC7616154 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102221-050519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Parenting is considered a key evolutionary innovation that contributed to the diversification and expansion of vertebrates. However, we know little about how such diversity evolved. Amphibians are an ideal group in which to identify the ecological factors that have facilitated or constrained the evolution of different forms of parental care. Among, but also within, the three amphibian orders-Anura, Caudata, and Gymnophiona-there is a high level of variation in habitat use, fertilization mode, mating systems, and parental sex roles. Recent work using broad phylogenetic, experimental, and physiological approaches has helped to uncover the factors that have selected for the evolution of care and transitions between different forms of parenting. Here, we highlight the exceptional diversity of amphibian parental care, emphasize the unique opportunities this group offers for addressing key questions about the evolution of parenting, and give insights into promising novel directions of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bibiana Rojas
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | | | - Lisa M Schulte
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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4
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Peignier M, Araya-Ajoy YG, Ringler M, Ringler E. Personality traits differentially affect components of reproductive success in a Neotropical poison frog. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231551. [PMID: 37727087 PMCID: PMC10509575 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual reproductive success has several components, including the acquisition of mating partners, offspring production, and offspring survival until adulthood. While the effects of certain personality traits-such as boldness or aggressiveness-on single components of reproductive success are well studied, we know little about the composite and multifaceted effects behavioural traits can have on all the aspects of reproductive success. Behavioural traits positively linked to one component of reproductive success might not be beneficial for other components, and these effects may differ between sexes. We investigated the influence of boldness, aggressiveness, and exploration on the number of mating partners, mating events, and offspring surviving until adulthood in males and females of the Neotropical poison frog Allobates femoralis. Behavioural traits had different-even opposite-effects on distinct components of reproductive success in both males and females. For example, males who displayed high levels of aggressiveness and exploration (or low levels of aggressiveness and exploration) managed to attract high number of mating partners, while males with low levels of boldness, low levels of aggressiveness, and high levels of exploration had the most offspring surviving until adulthood. Our results therefore suggest correlational selection favouring particular combinations of behavioural traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Peignier
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Yimen G. Araya-Ajoy
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Butterworth NJ, Benbow ME, Barton PS. The ephemeral resource patch concept. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 98:697-726. [PMID: 36517934 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ephemeral resource patches (ERPs) - short lived resources including dung, carrion, temporary pools, rotting vegetation, decaying wood, and fungi - are found throughout every ecosystem. Their short-lived dynamics greatly enhance ecosystem heterogeneity and have shaped the evolutionary trajectories of a wide range of organisms - from bacteria to insects and amphibians. Despite this, there has been no attempt to distinguish ERPs clearly from other resource types, to identify their shared spatiotemporal characteristics, or to articulate their broad ecological and evolutionary influences on biotic communities. Here, we define ERPs as any distinct consumable resources which (i) are homogeneous (genetically, chemically, or structurally) relative to the surrounding matrix, (ii) host a discrete multitrophic community consisting of species that cannot replicate solely in any of the surrounding matrix, and (iii) cannot maintain a balance between depletion and renewal, which in turn, prevents multiple generations of consumers/users or reaching a community equilibrium. We outline the wide range of ERPs that fit these criteria, propose 12 spatiotemporal characteristics along which ERPs can vary, and synthesise a large body of literature that relates ERP dynamics to ecological and evolutionary theory. We draw this knowledge together and present a new unifying conceptual framework that incorporates how ERPs have shaped the adaptive trajectories of organisms, the structure of ecosystems, and how they can be integrated into biodiversity management and conservation. Future research should focus on how inter- and intra-resource variation occurs in nature - with a particular focus on resource × environment × genotype interactions. This will likely reveal novel adaptive strategies, aid the development of new eco-evolutionary theory, and greatly improve our understanding of the form and function of organisms and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J. Butterworth
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University Wellington Road Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney 15 Broadway Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
| | - M. Eric Benbow
- Department of Entomology, Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program Michigan State University 220 Trowbridge Rd East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Philip S. Barton
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University University Drive, Mount Helen VIC 3350 Australia
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Peignier M, Furdi B, Bégué L, Ringler E. A comparative table for staging anuran embryos from terrestrial clutches based on the Brilliant-thighed Poison Frog, Allobates femoralis (Anura: Dendrobatidae). HERPETOLOGY NOTES 2022; 15:723-727. [PMID: 38989009 PMCID: PMC7616149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Peignier
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Hinterkappelen CH-3032Bern, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Furdi
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1210Vienna, Austria
| | - Lauriane Bégué
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Hinterkappelen CH-3032Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Hinterkappelen CH-3032Bern, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210Vienna, Austria
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Peignier M, Araya-Ajoy YG, Bégué L, Chaloupka S, Dellefont K, Leeb C, Walsh P, Ringler M, Ringler E. Exploring links between personality traits and their social and non-social environments in wild poison frogs. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:93. [PMID: 38989132 PMCID: PMC7616156 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03202-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
An animal's behavioral phenotype comprises several traits, which are hierarchically structured in functional units. This is manifested in measured behaviors often being correlated, partly reflecting the need of a coordinated functional response. Unfortunately, we still have limited understanding whether consistent differences in animal behaviors are due to underlying physiological constraints or a result of plastic adaptation to their current environment. Therefore, characterizing the spatial distribution of behaviors can provide important insights into causes and consequences of behavioral variation. In the present study, we quantified behaviors in a wild, free-ranging population of the Neotropical frog Allobates femoralis. We investigated how these behaviors were linked to the frogs' natural and social environment and quantified the extent to which these behaviors consistently differed among individuals (i.e., animal personality). We assessed levels of aggressiveness, exploration, and boldness by measuring several underlying behaviors expressed in a set of experimental assays, and found evidence for consistent among-individual differences along these axes. Contrary to our expectation, there was no relationship between individual behaviors and their natural environment, but we found a plastic response of males to changes in female density, which might reflect how individuals cope with their socio-ecological environment. Significance statement How are behavioral phenotypes distributed across space? Here, we studied an entire free-ranging population of poison frogs, and investigated if the personality traits aggressiveness, exploration, and boldness are linked to the frogs' natural or social environment. We found that behavioral traits were non-randomly distributed across the population, suggesting that the spatial arrangement of behavioral traits reflects how individuals cope with their complex natural and social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Peignier
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Bern, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yimen G. Araya-Ajoy
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lauriane Bégué
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sarah Chaloupka
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Dellefont
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Leeb
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Mainz, Germany
- Central Research Laboratories, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Walsh
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032Hinterkappelen, Bern, Switzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Stahlschmidt Z, Vo C. Spatial bet hedging, thermal trade-offs and glyphosate: crickets integrate multivariate information during oviposition. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Szabo B, Mangione R, Rath M, Pašukonis A, Reber SA, Oh J, Ringler M, Ringler E. Naive poison frog tadpoles use bi-modal cues to avoid insect predators but not heterospecific predatory tadpoles. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb243647. [PMID: 34845497 PMCID: PMC8729909 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
For animals to survive until reproduction, it is crucial that juveniles successfully detect potential predators and respond with appropriate behavior. The recognition of cues originating from predators can be innate or learned. Cues of various modalities might be used alone or in multi-modal combinations to detect and distinguish predators but studies investigating multi-modal integration in predator avoidance are scarce. Here, we used wild, naive tadpoles of the Neotropical poison frog Allobates femoralis ( Boulenger, 1884) to test their reaction to cues with two modalities from two different sympatrically occurring potential predators: heterospecific predatory Dendrobates tinctorius tadpoles and dragonfly larvae. We presented A. femoralis tadpoles with olfactory or visual cues, or a combination of the two, and compared their reaction to a water control in a between-individual design. In our trials, A. femoralis tadpoles reacted to multi-modal stimuli (a combination of visual and chemical information) originating from dragonfly larvae with avoidance but showed no reaction to uni-modal cues or cues from heterospecific tadpoles. In addition, visual cues from conspecifics increased swimming activity while cues from predators had no effect on tadpole activity. Our results show that A. femoralis tadpoles can innately recognize some predators and probably need both visual and chemical information to effectively avoid them. This is the first study looking at anti-predator behavior in poison frog tadpoles. We discuss how parental care might influence the expression of predator avoidance responses in tadpoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Szabo
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Rosanna Mangione
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Rath
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrius Pašukonis
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier 5, France
| | - Stephan A. Reber
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Lund University Cognitive Science, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jinook Oh
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Cremer Group, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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Serrano-Rojas SJ, Pašukonis A. Tadpole-transporting frogs use stagnant water odor to find pools in the rainforest. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272393. [PMID: 34608492 PMCID: PMC8627569 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Breeding sites are often a limited and ephemeral resource for rainforest frogs. This resource limitation has driven the evolution of diverse reproductive strategies that increase offspring survival. For example, poison frogs shuttle their tadpoles from terrestrial clutches to aquatic rearing sites, using various cues to assess pool suitability. Yet, how frogs find new pools is unknown. We tested the role of odor cues in the process of finding tadpole deposition sites by the poison frog Allobates femoralis. We created 60 artificial pools grouped into three conditions: stagnant water, tadpole water and clean water control. Fifteen pools were discovered within 6 days, with more tadpoles and more frogs directly observed at pools with stagnant odor cues. Our findings suggest that frogs use odor cues associated with stagnant water for the initial discovery of new breeding pools. These cues may be good indicators of pool stability and increased likelihood of tadpole survival. Summary: Amphibians rely on water for reproduction; however, very little is known on how amphibians find water bodies. Experiments in Allobates femoralis suggest that frogs use stagnant odor cues to find breeding pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley J Serrano-Rojas
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco (UNSAAC), Cusco 08000, Perú
| | - Andrius Pašukonis
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, 34090, France
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Schulte LM, Ringler E, Rojas B, Stynoski JL. Developments in Amphibian Parental Care Research: History, Present Advances, and Future Perspectives. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH 2020; 34:71-97. [PMID: 38989507 PMCID: PMC7616153 DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-19-00002.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite rising interest among scientists for over two centuries, parental care behavior has not been as thoroughly studied in amphibians as it has in other taxa. The first reports of amphibian parental care date from the early 18th century, when Maria Sibylla Merian went on a field expedition in Suriname and reported frog metamorphs emerging from their mother's dorsal skin. Reports of this and other parental behaviors in amphibians remained descriptive for decades, often as side notes during expeditions with another purpose. However, since the 1980s, experimental approaches have proliferated, providing detailed knowledge about the adaptive value of observed behaviors. Today, we recognize more than 30 types of parental care in amphibians, but most studies focus on just a few families and have favored anurans over urodeles and caecilians. Here, we provide a synthesis of the last three centuries of parental care research in the three orders comprising the amphibians. We draw attention to the progress from the very first descriptions to the most recent experimental studies, and highlight the importance of natural history observations as a source of new hypotheses and necessary context to interpret experimental findings. We encourage amphibian parental care researchers to diversify their study systems to allow for a more comprehensive perspective of the behaviors that amphibians exhibit. Finally, we uncover knowledge gaps and suggest new avenues of research using a variety of disciplines and approaches that will allow us to better understand the function and evolution of parental care behaviors in this diverse group of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M. Schulte
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Ringler
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210Vienna, Austria
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090Vienna, Austria
| | - Bibiana Rojas
- University of Jyvaskyla, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Jennifer L. Stynoski
- Colorado State University, Department of Biology, 200 W. Lake Street, Fort Collins, CO, 48823USA
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Universidad de Costa Rica, Dulce Nombre de Coronado, San José, Costa Rica
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12
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Pašukonis A, Loretto MC, Rojas B. How far do tadpoles travel in the rainforest? Parent-assisted dispersal in poison frogs. Evol Ecol 2019; 33:613-623. [PMID: 31404198 PMCID: PMC6647546 DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-09994-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Parents can influence offspring dispersal through breeding site selection, competition, or by directly moving their offspring during parental care. Many animals move their young, but the potential role of this behavior in dispersal has rarely been investigated. Neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) are well known for shuttling their tadpoles from land to water, but the associated movements have rarely been quantified and the potential function of tadpole transport in dispersal has not been addressed. We used miniature radio-transmitters to track the movements of two poison frog species during tadpole transport, and surveyed pool availability in the study area. We found that parental males move farther than expected by the distance to the nearest pool and spread their offspring across multiple pools. We argue that these movement patterns cannot be fully explained by pool quality and availability, and suggest that adaptive benefits related to offspring dispersal also shape the spatial behavior of parental frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Pašukonis
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Bibiana Rojas
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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13
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Spring S, Lehner M, Huber L, Ringler E. Oviposition and father presence reduce clutch cannibalism by female poison frogs. Front Zool 2019; 16:8. [PMID: 30949227 PMCID: PMC6431022 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0304-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The consumption of conspecific young by adult individuals is a common phenomenon across various animal taxa. Possible adaptive benefits of such behaviour include the acquisition of nutrients, decreased competition for one's own offspring, and/or increased mating opportunities. Clutch cannibalism has occasionally been observed in several species of Neotropical poison frogs, but the circumstances under which this behaviour occurs has rarely been investigated experimentally. Recent experiments with the poison frog Allobates femoralis have shown that males indiscriminately transport all clutches located inside their own territory to bodies of water, but become highly cannibalistic when taking over a new territory. Females are able to indirectly discriminate between their own and foreign clutches by location and take over transport duties of their own clutches only in the absence of the father. Cannibalism by A. femoralis females has not been previously observed. We thus asked if, and under which circumstances, cannibalism of unrelated clutches by female A. femoralis would occur, by manipulating the presence of the clutch's father, the female's own reproductive state, and the female's familiarity with the environment. RESULTS Females clearly cannibalize foreign clutches. Cannibalism was most pronounced when the female had not recently produced her own clutch and the father of the foreign clutch was absent. The female's familiarity with the area had no significant influence on the likelihood of cannibalism to occur. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that both previous oviposition and the father's presence reduce cannibalistic behaviour in A. femoralis females. Cannibalistic females may gain nutritional benefits or enhanced inclusive fitness by preying on other females' offspring. The finding that the father's presence at the clutch site/territory was sufficient to reduce cannibalism by females suggests a prominent role of male territoriality for the evolution of male parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Spring
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marion Lehner
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
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14
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Goyes Vallejos J, Grafe TU, Wells KD. Factors influencing tadpole deposition site choice in a frog with male parental care: An experimental field study. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johana Goyes Vallejos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut
| | - T. Ulmar Grafe
- Department of Biology, Faculty of ScienceUniversiti Brunei Darussalam Gadong Brunei Darussalam
| | - Kentwood D. Wells
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut
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15
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Ringler E, Szipl G, Harrigan RJ, Bartl-Binder P, Mangione R, Ringler M. Hierarchical decision-making balances current and future reproductive success. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:2289-2301. [PMID: 29633409 PMCID: PMC5969290 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Parental decisions in animals are often context‐dependent and shaped by fitness trade‐offs between parents and offspring. For example, the selection of breeding habitats can considerably impact the fitness of both offspring and parents, and therefore, parents should carefully weigh the costs and benefits of available options for their current and future reproductive success. Here, we show that resource‐use preferences are shaped by a trade‐off between parental effort and offspring safety in a tadpole‐transporting frog. In a large‐scale in situ experiment, we investigated decision strategies across an entire population of poison frogs that distribute their tadpoles across multiple water bodies. Pool use followed a dynamic and sequential selection process, and transportation became more efficient over time. Our results point to a complex suite of environmental variables that are considered during offspring deposition, which necessitates a highly dynamic and flexible decision‐making process in tadpole‐transporting frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Ringler
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.,Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georgine Szipl
- Core Facility KLF for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ryan J Harrigan
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Perta Bartl-Binder
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosanna Mangione
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Haus des Meeres Aqua Terra Zoo GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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16
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Hertler SC. Beyond birth order: The biological logic of personality variation among siblings. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2017.1325570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Steven C. Hertler
- Department of Psychology, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY 10805, USA
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17
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Pašukonis A, Beck KB, Fischer MT, Weinlein S, Stückler S, Ringler E. Induced parental care in a poison frog: a tadpole cross-fostering experiment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:3949-3954. [PMID: 28864563 PMCID: PMC5702076 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.165126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the external stimuli and natural contexts that elicit complex behaviours, such as parental care, is key in linking behavioural mechanisms to their real-life function. Poison frogs provide obligate parental care by shuttling their tadpoles from terrestrial clutches to aquatic nurseries, but little is known about the proximate mechanisms that control these behaviours. In this study, we used Allobates femoralis, a poison frog with predominantly male parental care, to investigate whether tadpole transport can be induced in both sexes by transferring unrelated tadpoles to the backs of adults in the field. Specifically, we asked whether the presence of tadpoles on an adult's back can override the decision-making rules preceding tadpole pick-up and induce the recall of spatial memory necessary for finding tadpole deposition sites. We used telemetry to facilitate accurate tracking of individual frogs and spatial analysis to compare movement trajectories. All tested individuals transported their foster-tadpoles to water pools outside their home area. Contrary to our expectation, we found no sex difference in the likelihood to transport or in the spatial accuracy of finding tadpole deposition sites. We reveal that a stereotypical cascade of parental behaviours that naturally involves sex-specific offspring recognition strategies and the use of spatial memory can be manipulated by experimental placement of unrelated tadpoles on adult frogs. As individuals remained inside their home area when only the jelly from tadpole-containing clutches was brushed on the back, we speculate that tactile rather than chemical stimuli trigger these parental behaviours. Summary: Placement of unrelated tadpoles on adult poison frogs triggers a cascade of parental behaviours involving tadpole transport and spatial memory use in both sexes, despite the asymmetric parental sex roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Pašukonis
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA .,Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristina Barbara Beck
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | | | - Steffen Weinlein
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Susanne Stückler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.,Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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18
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Beck KB, Loretto MC, Ringler M, Hödl W, Pašukonis A. Relying on known or exploring for new? Movement patterns and reproductive resource use in a tadpole-transporting frog. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3745. [PMID: 28875083 PMCID: PMC5580388 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals relying on uncertain, ephemeral and patchy resources have to regularly update their information about profitable sites. For many tropical amphibians, widespread, scattered breeding pools constitute such fluctuating resources. Among tropical amphibians, poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) exhibit some of the most complex spatial and parental behaviors—including territoriality and tadpole transport from terrestrial clutches to ephemeral aquatic deposition sites. Recent studies have revealed that poison frogs rely on spatial memory to successfully navigate through their environment. This raises the question of when and how these frogs gain information about the area and suitable reproductive resources. To investigate the spatial patterns of pool use and to reveal potential explorative behavior, we used telemetry to follow males of the territorial dendrobatid frog Allobates femoralis during tadpole transport and subsequent homing. To elicit exploration, we reduced resource availability experimentally by simulating desiccated deposition sites. We found that tadpole transport is strongly directed towards known deposition sites and that frogs take similar direct paths when returning to their home territory. Frogs move faster during tadpole transport than when homing after the deposition, which probably reflects different risks and costs during these two movement phases. We found no evidence for exploration, neither during transport nor homing, and independent of the availability of deposition sites. We suggest that prospecting during tadpole transport is too risky for the transported offspring as well as for the transporting male. Relying on spatial memory of multiple previously discovered pools appears to be the predominant and successful strategy for the exploitation of reproductive resources in A. femoralis. Our study provides for the first time a detailed description of poison frog movement patterns during tadpole transport and corroborates recent findings on the significance of spatial memory in poison frogs. When these frogs explore and discover new reproductive resources remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina B Beck
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Max Ringler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.,Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrius Pašukonis
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
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19
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Ringler M, Szipl G, Hödl W, Khil L, Kofler B, Lonauer M, Provin C, Ringler E. Acoustic ranging in poison frogs-it is not about signal amplitude alone. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:114. [PMID: 28757679 PMCID: PMC5506510 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2340-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Acoustic ranging allows identifying the distance of a sound source and mediates inter-individual spacing and aggression in territorial species. Birds and mammals are known to use more complex cues than only sound pressure level (SPL), which can be influenced by the signaller and signal transmission in non-predictable ways and thus is not reliable by itself. For frogs, only SPL is currently known to mediate inter-individual distances, but we hypothesise that the strong territoriality of Dendrobatids could make the use of complex cues for ranging highly beneficial for this family. Therefore, we tested the ranging abilities of territorial males of Allobates femoralis (Dendrobatidae, Aromobatinae) in playback trials, using amplitude-normalized signals that were naturally degraded over distance, and synthetic signals that were masked with different levels of noise. Frogs responded significantly less to signals recorded from larger distances, regardless of SPL and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but showed no differential response to natural minimum and maximum SNRs across the typical communication range in wild populations. This indicates that frogs used signal amplitude and SNR only as ancillary cues when assessing the distance of sound sources and relied instead mainly on more complex cues, such as spectral degradation or reverberation. We suggest that this ability mediates territorial spacing and mate choice in A. femoralis. Good ranging abilities might also play a role in the remarkable orientation performance of this species, probably by enabling the establishment of a mental acoustic map of the habitat. Significance statement Acoustic ranging allows the distance of vocalizing competitors and mates to be identified. While birds and mammals are known to use complex cues such as temporal degradation, frequency-dependent attenuation and reverberation for ranging, previous research indicated that frogs rely only on signal amplitude (sound pressure level) to assess the distance of other callers. The present study shows for the first time that also poison frogs can make use of more complex cues, an ability which is likely to be highly beneficial in their territorial social organization and probably can also be used for orientation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00265-017-2340-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Ringler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606 USA
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georgine Szipl
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle, Core Facility, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, 4645 Grünau im Almtal, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Leander Khil
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Lonauer
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Provin
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606 USA
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, and University of Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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20
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Ringler E, Barbara Beck K, Weinlein S, Huber L, Ringler M. Adopt, ignore, or kill? Male poison frogs adjust parental decisions according to their territorial status. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43544. [PMID: 28262803 PMCID: PMC5337939 DOI: 10.1038/srep43544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Systematic infanticide of unrelated young has been reported in several animal taxa. Particular attention has been given to carnivores and primates, where infanticide is a sexually selected strategy of males to gain increased access to female mating partners. Cannibals must ensure avoiding their own offspring and targeting only unrelated young. Therefore, decision rules are needed to mediate parental and cannibalistic behaviour. Here we show experimentally that male poison frogs adjust their parental responses – care or infanticide – towards unrelated clutches according to their territorial status. Male frogs followed the simple rule ‘care for any clutch’ inside their territory, but immediately switched to cannibalism when establishing a new territory. This demonstrates that simple cognitive rules can mediate complex behaviours such as parental care, and that care and cannibalism are antagonistically linked. Non-parental infanticide is mediated by territorial cues and presumably serves to prevent misdirected care in this poison frog. Our results thus prompt a re-consideration of evolutionary and causal aspects of parental decision making, by suggesting that selective infanticide of unrelated young may generally become adaptive when the risks and costs of misdirected care are high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Ringler
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A- 1210 Vienna, Austria.,University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristina Barbara Beck
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steffen Weinlein
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A- 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.,University of California Los Angeles, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, CA 90095, Los Angeles, USA
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21
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Winandy L, Legrand P, Denoël M. Habitat selection and reproduction of newts in networks of fish and fishless aquatic patches. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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22
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Pašukonis A, Trenkwalder K, Ringler M, Ringler E, Mangione R, Steininger J, Warrington I, Hödl W. The significance of spatial memory for water finding in a tadpole-transporting frog. Anim Behav 2016; 116:89-98. [PMID: 28239185 PMCID: PMC5321284 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The ability to associate environmental cues with valuable resources strongly increases the chances of finding them again, and thus memory often guides animal movement. For example, many temperate region amphibians show strong breeding site fidelity and will return to the same areas even after the ponds have been destroyed. In contrast, many tropical amphibians depend on exploitation of small, scattered and fluctuating resources such as ephemeral pools for reproduction. It remains unknown whether tropical amphibians rely on spatial memory for effective exploitation of their reproductive resources. Poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) routinely shuttle their tadpoles from terrestrial clutches to dispersed aquatic deposition sites. We investigated the role of spatial memory for relocating previously discovered deposition sites in an experimental population of the brilliant-thighed poison frog, Allobates femoralis, a species with predominantly male tadpole transport. We temporarily removed an array of artificial pools that served as the principal tadpole deposition resource for the population. In parallel, we set up an array of sham sites and sites containing conspecific tadpole odour cues. We then quantified the movement patterns and site preferences of tadpole-transporting males by intensive sampling of the area and tracking individual frogs. We found that tadpole-carrier movements were concentrated around the exact locations of removed pools and most individuals visited several removed pool sites. In addition, we found that tadpole-transporting frogs were attracted to novel sites that contained high concentrations of conspecific olfactory tadpole cues. Our results suggest that A. femoralis males rely heavily on spatial memory for efficient exploitation of multiple, widely dispersed deposition sites once they are discovered. Additionally, olfactory cues may facilitate the initial discovery of the new sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Pašukonis
- University of Vienna, Department of Cognitive Biology, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Max Ringler
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna, Austria; University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Messerli Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosanna Mangione
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna, Austria; Haus des Meeres - Aqua Terra Zoo GmbH, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jolanda Steininger
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ian Warrington
- University of Vienna, Department of Cognitive Biology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- University of Vienna, Department of Integrative Zoology, Vienna, Austria
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23
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Mangold A, Trenkwalder K, Ringler M, Hödl W, Ringler E. Low reproductive skew despite high male-biased operational sex ratio in a glass frog with paternal care. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:181. [PMID: 26334630 PMCID: PMC4558732 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0469-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reproductive skew, the uneven distribution of reproductive success among individuals, is a common feature of many animal populations. Several scenarios have been proposed to favour either high or low levels of reproductive skew. Particularly a male-biased operational sex ratio and the asynchronous arrival of females is expected to cause high variation in reproductive success among males. Recently it has been suggested that the type of benefits provided by males (fixed vs. dilutable) could also strongly impact individual mating patterns, and thereby affecting reproductive skew. We tested this hypothesis in Hyalinobatrachium valerioi, a Neotropical glass frog with prolonged breeding and paternal care. RESULTS We monitored and genetically sampled a natural population in southwestern Costa Rica during the breeding season in 2012 and performed parentage analysis of adult frogs and tadpoles to investigate individual mating frequencies, possible mating preferences, and estimate reproductive skew in males and females. We identified a polygamous mating system, where high proportions of males (69 %) and females (94 %) reproduced successfully. The variance in male mating success could largely be attributed to differences in time spent calling at the reproductive site, but not to body size or relatedness. Female H. valerioi were not choosy and mated indiscriminately with available males. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis that dilutable male benefits - such as parental care - can favour female polyandry and maintain low levels of reproductive skew among males within a population, even in the presence of direct male-male competition and a highly male-biased operational sex ratio. We hypothesize that low male reproductive skew might be a general characteristic in prolonged breeders with paternal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Mangold
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Katharina Trenkwalder
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Max Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Eva Ringler
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A- 1210, Vienna, Austria.
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