Locomotion and survival of two sympatric larval anurans, Bufo gargarizans (Anura: Bufonidae) and Rana zhenhaiensis (Anura: Ranidae), after partial tail loss

Ding, Guohua; Lin, Zhihua; Zhao, Lu

doi:10.1590/s1984-46702014000400002

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Tadpoles that suffer partial tail loss show reduced swimming speed (Ding et al. 2014a, 2014b), and growth (Wilbur and Semlitsch 1990), which may increase predation risk (Figiel and Semlitsch 1991). Our finding that partial tail loss also results in reduced metamorph body size reports, to our knowledge, the first evidence of a direct across-stage negative effect of predators on anuran body size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A previous encounter with a predator may predispose tadpoles to survive subsequent predator attacks (Álvarez and Nicieza 2006), which could counteract the reduced locomotor performance due to partial tail loss. Also, tail regeneration can restore tadpole swimming speed (Ding et al. 2014b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fact that tadpoles deflect predator attack toward the tail is biologically relevant, because tails are primarily responsible for tadpole locomotion. Indeed, tail-injured tadpoles have slower swimming speed (Ding et al. 2014b).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Simulated predation pressure in Pelobates cultripes tadpoles modulates morphology at the metamorphic stage

2018

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Studies on the impacts of variation of biotic interactions at key life cycle stages are crucial to understand the interface between ecological and developmental processes. Predators exert a major impact on prey fitness. Although direct consumption entails the greatest effect, predators can affect prey by means of other mechanisms. For instance, injuries inflicted by failed predation attempts can jeopardize prey fitness, even beyond the short-term. In anuran tadpoles, failed predation typically results in partial tail loss, which is known to reduce swimming speed. However, the potential consequences of tadpole partial tail loss after metamorphosis remain understudied. Because tail materials could be important in conforming metamorph body, we assess the effects of tadpole partial tail loss on metamorph body size in Iberian spadefoot toads Pelobates cultripes. We clipped 55% tail length of pre-tail-resorption stage anesthetized tadpoles, and compared their body size as metamorphs with anesthetized and non-anesthetized non-tail-clipped controls. Also, we tested whether tail length correlated with metamorph body size of individuals of the control groups. Tail-clipped tadpoles produced smaller metamorphs than both controls (the bdy size of metamorphs from both controls was similar), which could incur costs in mid-term survival or time to first reproduction. This effect could be particularly important in areas with introduced predators, if autochthonous tadpoles lack defenses against them. Results suggest that materials resorbed from tadpole tail tissues might be reallocated into metamorph body, according to the negative effect of shorter tails in a correlational analysis, and clipped tails in an experimental test, on metamorph body size.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Simulated predation pressure in Pelobates cultripes tadpoles modulates morphology at the metamorphic stage

2018

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“…First and foremost, the future fitness of an individual that is preyed on is reduced to zero [3,4]. Moreover, failed predator attacks may damage fitness in diverse ways [5,6]: they might result in wounds and injuries of varying degrees of seriousness, which may lead to reduced mobility and thus greater susceptibility to future predator attacks [7], or to infections that may compromise health and survival [8]. Last but not least, predator threats can promote the expression of inducible antipredator defences that, be they behavioural [9], physical [10], or chemical [11], usually come with costs, primarily in terms of time [12] or energy consumption [13] Other antipredator defences are also not devoid of costs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Active and Passive Antipredator Defences in the Toad Epidalea calamita Differ between Males and Females from Natural Habitats and Agrosystems?

Zamora‐Camacho

2021

Diversity

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Due to their assumed costs, simultaneous antipredator strategies are expected to face trade-offs, which, however, could be milder in individuals subjected to a more intense predator pressure. In this work, I studied the relationship between locomotion and parotoid glands in the natterjack toad, Epidalea calamita. Specifically, I predicted that individuals with reduced sprint speed would rely more on their chemical defences, having larger and more aposematically coloured parotoid glands. In addition, I expected this trade-off to be more evident in females and toads from pine grove habitats, because, according to previous work, males and toads from agrosystems are under greater predator pressure. However, sprint speed showed no relationship with coloration, but toads with proportionally greater parotoid glands were also proportionally faster. Thus, the costs of these antipredator traits might not be high enough to make them interfere, or the benefits of simultaneous optimisation of sprint speed and parotoid gland size might outweigh the costs of it in some individuals. In any case, habitat and sex did not affect these relationships, so the trends detected are valid across sexes and the habitats studied.

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“…Tadpole tails are primarily responsible for locomotion. Accordingly, tadpoles that have undergone partial tail loss swim more slowly (Ding, Lin, & Wei, ; Ding, Lin, & Zhao, ) and have increased chances to be preyed on in subsequent encounters (Semlitsch, ). Therefore, receiving predator attacks in the tail may be risky because, despite the fact that life is immediately preserved, it is compromised in the short term.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Failed predator attacks have detrimental effects on antipredatory capabilities through developmental plasticity in Pelobates cultripes toads

Zamora‐Camacho

Aragón

2019

Functional Ecology

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How predation events experienced by preys can shape phenotypic traits through the ontogenetic development of the interacting species should be a key issue in Evolutionary and Conservation Biology. Locomotor performance plays a fundamental role on the fitness of many animals, mainly because it enhances ability to fleeing from predators. Predators represent indeed a capital selective force on prey, mainly because they end prey life. However, predators may also damage prey by other means, such as injuries caused by failed attacks. This damage can severely affect locomotion, among several other aspects of prey fitness. In the case of anuran tadpoles, failed predator attacks often result in injured tails, which reduces swimming performance. However, little is known about lasting effects of those failed attacks on fleeing capabilities after metamorphosis. In this work, we clipped 55% tail length of pre‐tail‐resorption stage anaesthetized larval Pelobates cultripes toads, and compared metamorph hindlimb length and jump distance with metamorphs resulting from anaesthetized and non‐anaesthetized non‐clipped controls. Previous findings showed that this treatment produced metamorphs with reduced body condition. Results herein suggest that partial tail loss in tadpoles diminishes jumping performance of resultant metamorphs. This effect is likely a consequence of tail‐clipped tadpoles developing shorter hindlimbs as metamorphs, which is parallel to their reduced body condition. Therefore, predator attacks in the tail may be less potentially mortal than those in the head and body, but have costs in terms of an efficient antipredatory response that persist in post‐metamorphic stage. This effect might compromise metamorph ability to survive subsequent predator attacks.

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Locomotion and survival of two sympatric larval anurans, Bufo gargarizans (Anura: Bufonidae) and Rana zhenhaiensis (Anura: Ranidae), after partial tail loss

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Simulated predation pressure in Pelobates cultripes tadpoles modulates morphology at the metamorphic stage

Simulated predation pressure in Pelobates cultripes tadpoles modulates morphology at the metamorphic stage

Do Active and Passive Antipredator Defences in the Toad Epidalea calamita Differ between Males and Females from Natural Habitats and Agrosystems?

Failed predator attacks have detrimental effects on antipredatory capabilities through developmental plasticity in Pelobates cultripes toads

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