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Ray EJ, Maruska KP. Sensory Mechanisms of Parent-Offspring Recognition in Fishes, Amphibians, and Reptiles. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1168-1181. [PMID: 37488679 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Parental care is important for offspring survival and success. Recognition of offspring by parents is critical to ensure parents direct care behaviors at related offspring and minimize energy lost by caring for unrelated young. Offspring recognition of parents prevents possible aggressive interactions between young and unrelated adults and allows offspring to direct begging behaviors toward the correct adult. Despite its importance and widespread nature, much of the current research has focused on a small range of species, particularly mammals and birds. We review the existing literature on the sensory mechanisms of parent-offspring recognition in fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. Within these groups, there is diversity in the presence and strategies for parent-offspring recognition. Future studies should continue to identify these mechanisms, as well as the neural and endocrine underpinnings in non-model organisms to expand our knowledge of this behavior and inform our understanding of the evolution of parent-offspring recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Ray
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, 202 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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2
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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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3
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Bolcaen J, Gizawy MA, Terry SYA, Paulo A, Cornelissen B, Korde A, Engle J, Radchenko V, Howell RW. Marshalling the Potential of Auger Electron Radiopharmaceutical Therapy. J Nucl Med 2023; 64:1344-1351. [PMID: 37591544 PMCID: PMC10478825 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.122.265039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Auger electron (AE) radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) may have the same therapeutic efficacy as α-particles for oncologic small disease, with lower risks of normal-tissue toxicity. The seeds of using AE emitters for RPT were planted several decades ago. Much knowledge has been gathered about the potency of the biologic effects caused by the intense shower of these low-energy AEs. Given their short range, AEs deposit much of their energy in the immediate vicinity of their site of decay. However, the promise of AE RPT has not yet been realized, with few agents evaluated in clinical trials and none becoming part of routine treatment so far. Instigated by the 2022 "Technical Meeting on Auger Electron Emitters for Radiopharmaceutical Developments" at the International Atomic Energy Agency, this review presents the current status of AE RPT based on the discussions by experts in the field. A scoring system was applied to illustrate hurdles in the development of AE RPT, and we present a selected list of well-studied and emerging AE-emitting radionuclides. Based on the number of AEs and other emissions, physical half-life, radionuclide production, radiochemical approaches, dosimetry, and vector availability, recommendations are put forward to enhance and impact future efforts in AE RPT research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bolcaen
- SSC Laboratory, Radiation Biophysics, NRF iThemba LABS, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mohamed A Gizawy
- Egyptian Second Research Reactor Complex, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samantha Y A Terry
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - António Paulo
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Bobadela, Portugal
| | - Bart Cornelissen
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Aruna Korde
- Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Application, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonathan Engle
- University of Wisconsin Cyclotron Research Group, Departments of Medical Physics and Radiology, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Valery Radchenko
- TRIUMF, Life Sciences Division, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
- University of British Columbia, Chemistry Department, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and
| | - Roger W Howell
- Division of Radiation Research, Department of Radiology and Center for Cell Signaling, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
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Pašukonis A, Serrano-Rojas SJ, Fischer MT, Loretto MC, Shaykevich DA, Rojas B, Ringler M, Roland AB, Marcillo-Lara A, Ringler E, Rodríguez C, Coloma LA, O'Connell LA. Contrasting parental roles shape sex differences in poison frog space use but not navigational performance. eLife 2022; 11:e80483. [PMID: 36377473 PMCID: PMC9665844 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in vertebrate spatial abilities are typically interpreted under the adaptive specialization hypothesis, which posits that male reproductive success is linked to larger home ranges and better navigational skills. The androgen spillover hypothesis counters that enhanced male spatial performance may be a byproduct of higher androgen levels. Animal groups that include species where females are expected to outperform males based on life-history traits are key for disentangling these hypotheses. We investigated the association between sex differences in reproductive strategies, spatial behavior, and androgen levels in three species of poison frogs. We tracked individuals in natural environments to show that contrasting parental sex roles shape sex differences in space use, where the sex performing parental duties shows wider-ranging movements. We then translocated frogs from their home areas to test their navigational performance and found that the caring sex outperformed the non-caring sex only in one out of three species. In addition, males across species displayed more explorative behavior than females and androgen levels correlated with explorative behavior and homing accuracy. Overall, we reveal that poison frog reproductive strategies shape movement patterns but not necessarily navigational performance. Together this work suggests that prevailing adaptive hypotheses provide an incomplete explanation of sex differences in spatial abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Pašukonis
- Institute of Biosciences, Vilnius University Life Sciences CenterVilniusLithuania
- CEFE, Univ MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Department of Biology, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
| | - Shirley Jennifer Serrano-Rojas
- Department of Biology, Stanford UniversityStanfordUnited States
- Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del CuscoCuscoPeru
| | | | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Life Sciences, Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-PlatzFreisingGermany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, DoktorbergBerchtesgadenGermany
| | | | - Bibiana Rojas
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Max Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
- Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics, University of Music and Performing Arts GrazGrazAustria
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Alexandre B Roland
- Research Center on Animal Cognition, Center for Integrative Biology, CNRS - Paul Sabatier UniversityToulouseFrance
| | - Alejandro Marcillo-Lara
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwaterUnited States
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de AnfibiosQuitoEcuador
| | - Eva Ringler
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of BernHinterkappelenSwitzerland
- Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Camilo Rodríguez
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Luis A Coloma
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de AnfibiosQuitoEcuador
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Rodríguez C, Fusani L, Raboisson G, Hödl W, Ringler E, Canoine V. Androgen responsiveness to simulated territorial intrusions in Allobates femoralis males: Evidence supporting the challenge hypothesis in a territorial frog. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 326:114046. [PMID: 35472315 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Territoriality has been widely described across many animal taxa, where the acquisition and defence of a territory are critical for the fitness of an individual. Extensive evidence suggests that androgens are involved in the modulation of territorial behaviours in male vertebrates. Short-term increase of androgen following a territorial encounter appears to favour the outcome of a challenge. The "Challenge Hypothesis" proposed by Wingfield and colleagues outlines the existence of a positive feedback relationship between androgen and social challenges (e.g., territorial intrusions) in male vertebrates. Here we tested the challenge hypothesis in the highly territorial poison frog, Allobates femoralis, in its natural habitat by exposing males to simulated territorial intrusions in the form of acoustic playbacks. We quantified repeatedly androgen concentrations of individual males via a non-invasive water-borne sampling approach. Our results show that A. femoralis males exhibited a positive behavioural and androgenic response after being confronted to simulated territorial intrusions, providing support for the Challenge Hypothesis in a territorial frog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Rodríguez
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gaëlle Raboisson
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Virginie Canoine
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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Schlippe Justicia L, Fouilloux CA, Rojas B. Poison frog social behaviour under global change: potential impacts and future challenges. Acta Ethol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-022-00400-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe current and cascading effects of global change challenges the interactions both between animal individuals (i.e. social and sexual behaviour) and the environment they inhabit. Amphibians are an ecologically diverse class with a wide range of social and sexual behaviours, making them a compelling model to understand the potential adaptations of animals faced with the effects of human-induced rapid environmental changes (HIREC). Poison frogs (Dendrobatoidea) are a particularly interesting system, as they display diverse social behaviours that are shaped by conspecific and environmental interactions, thus offering a tractable system to investigate how closely related species may respond to the impacts of HIREC. Here, we discuss the potential impacts of global change on poison frog behaviour, and the future challenges this group may face in response to such change. We pay special attention to parental care and territoriality, which are emblematic of this clade, and consider how different species may flexibly respond and adapt to increasingly frequent and diverse anthropogenic stress. More specifically, we hypothesise that some parents may increase care (i.e. clutch attendance and distance travelled for tadpole transport) in HIREC scenarios and that species with more generalist oviposition and tadpole deposition behaviours may fare more positively than their less flexible counterparts; we predict that the latter may either face increased competition for resources limited by HIREC or will be forced to adapt and expand their natural preferences. Likewise, we hypothesise that human-driven habitat alteration will disrupt the acoustic and visual communication systems due to increased noise pollution and/or changes in the surrounding light environment. We highlight the need for more empirical research combining behavioural ecology and conservation to better predict species’ vulnerability to global change and efficiently focus conservation efforts.
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Wu S, Zeng W, Deng W, Li J, Li M, Tan L, Cai H, Li X, Li Y, Zhou Z. Parental Sex and Not Kinship Determines Egg Cannibalism in Arma custos Fallou (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.758587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundArma custos Fallou (Hemiptera: Asopinae) is an important predatory insect native to China, South Korea, and Mongolia. It is important to understand the evolution of egg cannibalism in A. custos to evaluate the biocontrol potential of this species. However, few reports have suggested egg cannibalism in A. custos, and whether hungry adult A. custos males and females prey on their eggs remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of the parental sex of A. custos adults on egg cannibalism of parental and non-parental eggs (kinship) under no-choice and free-choice conditions, along with the effects of predator and egg density on egg cannibalism under starvation conditions.ResultsFemales frequently visited and cannibalized a higher proportion of eggs, whereas males almost did not participate in egg cannibalism (less than 17% males showed egg cannibalism behavior). Moreover, regardless of their relationship with the egg, neither male nor female adults consumed all available eggs even in the absence of an alternative food source, and >70% of eggs remained unconsumed. In contrast, cannibalistic males and females did not discriminate between parental and non-parental egg types. Meanwhile, cannibalism rates were similar when adults were offered 30 eggs or more. However, when offered fewer than 30 eggs, cannibalism rates declined disproportionally, suggesting that limited egg availability reduced cannibalism. Additionally, the lifespan of A. custos adult females increased significantly with increasing number of consumed eggs (p < 0.05).ConclusionArma custos females exhibit a higher tendency for egg cannibalism than males. Neither male or female A. custos discriminated between parental and non-parental egg types. Cannibalism enhances survival in that a starved individual who predates on eggs survives similarly to a well-fed individual. These findings provide a model to study the evolution and biological significance of egg cannibalism in A. custos and also contribute to the efficient mass rearing and realization of A. custos for biological control.
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Autry AE, O'Connell LA. The Parental Dilemma: How Evolution of Diverse Strategies for Infant Care Informs Social Behavior Circuits. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:734474. [PMID: 34867211 PMCID: PMC8636452 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.734474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anita E Autry
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
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Valencia-Aguilar A, Guayasamin JM, Prado CPA. Alloparental care in glassfrogs: males care for unrelated clutches only when associated with their own. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1386. [PMID: 33446869 PMCID: PMC7809452 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80771-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Parental care is costly, thus theory predicts that parents should avoid caring for unrelated offspring. However, alloparenting has been reported in many taxa because it may increase the caregiver mating success or offspring survival. We experimentally investigated the existence of allopaternal care in two glassfrog species, Hyalinobatrachium chirripoi and Centrolene peristicta, and discussed possible costs and benefits. Males mated with multiple females and cared for clutches, while continued to call. In the field, we randomly placed unrelated clutches in the territory of males already caring for their clutches and in the territory of non-attending males. Attending males adopted unrelated clutches, whereas non-attending males abandoned their territories. Once males adopted unrelated offspring, they cared for all clutches in a similar frequency and gained new clutches. Alloparenting was context-dependent, as only males already caring for their clutches adopted unrelated ones. We suggest that steroid hormonal levels might mediate the adoption of unrelated offspring by attending males. Additionally, our results suggest that males do not directly discriminate between related and unrelated offspring. Alloparenting has been widely investigated in different vertebrates, except for amphibians. Thus, our study sheds light on the roles of alloparenting for offspring survival and mating success in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anyelet Valencia-Aguilar
- Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Evolução e Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil.
| | - Juan M Guayasamin
- Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto Biósfera USFQ, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Cumbayá, Ecuador
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3280, USA
| | - Cynthia P A Prado
- Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Evolução e Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
- Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
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O'Connell LA. Frank Beach Award Winner: Lessons from poison frogs on ecological drivers of behavioral diversification. Horm Behav 2020; 126:104869. [PMID: 33039350 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Variation in natural behavior is tightly linked to the ecological resources with which they co-evolved. This review discusses poison frog behavior and neuroendocrinology to illustrate how ecological factors drive diversification of behavior and its underlying neural mechanisms. Poison frogs show tremendous diversity in reproductive strategies that are tightly linked to water resources in their environment. Different species utilize particular pool sizes to rear their offspring, which has selected for sex differences in parental behavior among poison frog species. Tadpole behavior reflects the behavioral diversity of adults, where tadpoles can display social group living or violent aggression and begging behavior, which are all associated with pool size and occupancy. Using this behavioral diversity among poison frog species, we have identified core brain regions, like the hippocampus and preoptic area, as being involved in regulating different aspects of amphibian parental behavior. In contrast to core brain regions, the neuromodulators governing these behaviors seem to be more labile across species. This work exemplifies how comparative studies are a prime experimental system to study how evolution tunes neural circuits that give rise to the diversity of behaviors we observe in the natural world. Finally, this review ends on a more important form of diversity - that of our scientific community - and how community outreach, decolonization of field based science, and inclusion of groups historically excluded from conducting research are needed for the scientific enterprise to transform into something truly beneficial for all members of our society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A O'Connell
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America.
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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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Stückler S, Ringler M, Pašukonis A, Weinlein S, Hödl W, Ringler E. Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of the Prolonged Courtship in Brilliant-Thighed Poison Frogs, Allobates femoralis. HERPETOLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-19-00010.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Stückler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Max Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrius Pašukonis
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steffen Weinlein
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Ringler
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Pettitt BA, Bourne GR, Bee MA. Females prefer the calls of better fathers in a Neotropical frog with biparental care. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMale secondary sexual traits potentially function as indicators of direct or indirect fitness benefits to females. Direct benefits, such as paternal care, may be especially important to females in species with biparental care. In an experimental field study of the golden rocket frog (Anomaloglossus beebei), a Neotropical species with biparental care, we tested predictions from four hypotheses proposed to explain the evolutionary relationship between male secondary sexual traits and paternal care quality (the “good parent,” “differential allocation,” “trade-off,” and “essential male care” hypotheses). We examined: 1) the influence of paternal care on offspring survival, 2) the relationships between male calls and paternal care, maternal care, and opportunities for males to acquire multiple mates, and 3) female preferences for three acoustic properties of male advertisement calls. Our results reveal that paternal care positively impacts offspring survival, that males producing longer calls also provide higher-quality paternal care in the form of greater egg attendance and territory defense, and that females prefer longer calls. Females did not discriminate among potential mates based on differences in dominant frequency or call rate. These findings, which suggest male advertisement calls are indicators of potential direct benefits to females in the form of paternal care, are consistent with the good parent hypothesis and inconsistent with the trade-off, differential allocation, and essential male care hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth A Pettitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Godfrey R Bourne
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
- CEIBA Biological Center, Linden Highway, Madewini, Guyana
| | - Mark A Bee
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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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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Rocha SMCD, Lima AP, Kaefer IL. Reproductive Behavior of the Amazonian Nurse-Frog Allobates paleovarzensis (Dendrobatoidea, Aromobatidae). SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00076.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sulamita Marques Correia da Rocha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araújo 2936, 69011-970, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Albertina Pimentel Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araújo 2936, 69011-970, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Igor Luis Kaefer
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araújo 2936, 69011-970, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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17
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Ferreira AS, Jehle R, Stow AJ, Lima AP. Soil and forest structure predicts large-scale patterns of occurrence and local abundance of a widespread Amazonian frog. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5424. [PMID: 30123719 PMCID: PMC6087616 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution of biodiversity within the Amazon basin is often structured by sharp environmental boundaries, such as large rivers. The Amazon region is also characterized by subtle environmental clines, but how they might affect the distributions and abundance of organisms has so far received less attention. Here, we test whether soil and forest characteristics are associated with the occurrence and relative abundance of the forest-floor dwelling Aromobatid frog, Allobates femoralis. We applied a structured sampling regime along an 880 km long transect through forest of different density. High detection probabilities were estimated for A. femoralis in each of the sampling modules. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models and simple linear regressions that take detectability into account, we show that A. femoralis is more abundant in open forests than in dense forests. The presence and relative abundance of A. femoralis is also positively associated with clay-rich soils, which are poorly drained and therefore likely support the standing water bodies required for reproduction. Taken together, we demonstrate that relatively easy-to-measure environmental features can explain the distribution and abundance of a widespread species at different spatial scales. Such proxies are of clear value to ecologists and conservation managers working in large inaccessible areas such as the Amazon basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Robert Jehle
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Adam J Stow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Albertina P Lima
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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18
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Brilliant-thighed poison frogs do not use acoustic identity information to treat territorial neighbours as dear enemies. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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19
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Simple observations with complex implications: What we have learned and can learn about parental care from a frog that feeds its young. ZOOL ANZ 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2017.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Revynthi AM, Janssen A, Egas M. Gender-specific differences in cannibalism between a laboratory strain and a field strain of a predatory mite. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2018; 74:239-247. [PMID: 29470781 PMCID: PMC5851709 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-018-0232-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Many phytoseiid species, including Phytoseiulus persimilis, are known to engage in cannibalism when food is scarce and when there is no possibility to disperse. In nature adult females of P. persimilis are known to disperse when prey is locally depleted. Males, in contrast, are expected to stay and wait for potential mates to mature. During this phase, males can obtain food by cannibalizing. Therefore, we hypothesize that male P. persimilis exhibit a higher tendency to cannibalize than females. Because rearing conditions in the laboratory usually prevent dispersal, prolonged culturing may also affect cannibalistic behavior. We hypothesize that this should especially affect cannibalism by females, because they consume far more food. We tested these hypotheses by comparing males and females from two strains, one of which had been in culture for over 20 years, whereas the other was recently collected from the field. It is known that this predator can discriminate between kin and non-kin and prefers cannibalizing the latter, hence to construct lines with high relatedness we created isofemale lines of these two original strains. We subsequently tested to what extent the adult females and males of the original strains and the isofemale lines cannibalized conspecific larvae from the same strain/line in a closed system. Relatedness with the victims did not affect cannibalistic behavior, but males engaged more often in cannibalism than females, and females of the laboratory strain engaged more in cannibalism than those of the field strain, both in agreement with our ideas. We hypothesize that the difference in cannibalism between the two genders will increase when they have the alternative to disperse.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Revynthi
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A. Janssen
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M. Egas
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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21
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Seshadri KS, Bickford DP. Faithful fathers and crooked cannibals: the adaptive significance of parental care in the bush frog Raorchestes chalazodes, Western Ghats, India. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2420-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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22
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da Rocha SMC, Lima AP, Kaefer IL. Territory size as a main driver of male-mating success in an Amazonian nurse frog (Allobates paleovarzensis, Dendrobatoidea). Acta Ethol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-017-0280-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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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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