We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Morphological and life history responses to predators in larvae of seven anurans.
- Authors
Lardner, Björn
- Abstract
Amphibian larvae often face two major sources of mortality: pond desiccation and predation. Tadpoles of seven anuran species with different preferences for type of breeding habitat, on a hydroperiod scale, were tested for responses to the presence of predators by raising them experimentally in the presence and absence of a separately caged invertebrate predator that was fed on conspecific tadpoles. The species typically breeding in temporary or semi-permanent ponds (Rana temporaria, Rana arvalis, Rana dalmatina and Hyla arborea)--where invertebrate predator populations are predicted to vary considerably spatiotemporally--all showed marked induced increases in tail fin depth in response to predator presence. These species also tended to respond by reduced growth rates. The representative of the most ephemeral habitats, Bufo calamita, did not respond in any of these traits. Its congeneric, Bufo bufo, a toxic inhabitant of permanent ponds and lakes, tended to respond to predator presence by reducing its growth rate, though not by a tail depth increase. I argue that the rather poor swimming performance in Bufo tadpoles may opt for defenses other than locomotor ability. The palatable, permanent pond species Pelobates fuscus did not alter either its growth rate or tail morphology. Possible explanations for this result are discussed.
- Subjects
TADPOLES; PREDATION; AMPHIBIAN larvae; RANA temporaria; RANA dalmatina; EUROPEAN treefrog; HABITATS; ANIMAL behavior
- Publication
Oikos, 2000, Vol 88, Issue 1, p169
- ISSN
0030-1299
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1034/j.1600-0706.2000.880119.x