Diet, development and the optimization of warning signals in post‐metamorphic green and black poison frogs

Flores, Eric E.; Stevens, Martin; Moore, Allen J.; Blount, Jonathan D.

doi:10.1111/1365-2435.12084

Cited by 13 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 148 publications

(307 reference statements)

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“…Our study builds on the results of a previous paper, Flores et al. (), in which froglets with access to relatively little food appeared to simultaneously maximize both body size and signal luminance, while froglets with access to greater amounts of food, which were larger on average, reduced their investment in signal luminance as compared to smaller individuals. Here, we address the relative importance of body size and signal luminance as determinants of survival in the wild.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…; Noonan and Comeault ), and similarly, experimental froglets did not show appreciable levels of UV reflectance in their dorsal skin (Flores et al. ). Accordingly, we found that the UV reflectance of our mixed clay was low (UV mixed clay ± SE: 0.077 ± 0.002, N = 10); therefore, it was unlikely to influence our results.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…JND luminance and color contrast did not differ significantly between the black pattern painted on artificial models (N = 12) and the natural black pattern of randomly selected froglets (N = 10) derived from the experiment described in Flores et al (2013) (JND luminance: GLM, F 1,20 = 0.01, P = 0.94; log(JND color): GLM, F 1,20 = 1.71, P = 0.20; Appendix Fig. A5).…”

Section: Similarity Between Artificial Models and Frogletsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Grill and Moore 1998;Ojala et al 2005;Blount et al 2012). Indeed, it has been recently reported that availability of food during larval development in the aposematic green and black poison frog (Dendrobates auratus) affected body size and dorsal skin brightness (i.e., signal luminance), but not dorsal skin color (i.e., signal color or the main reflected wavelength) in postmetamorphic froglets (Flores et al 2013). Aposematism exploits the innate and learned aversion of visually oriented predators toward conspicuous or novel colors, which results in increased predator wariness, enhanced avoidance learning rates, and thus reduced predation risk for the prey (Guilford 1986;Ruxton et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ellipses show 95% confidence interval for artificial models (black line) and experimental froglets (green line). Black and green squares are the mean AE SE for artificial models and experimental froglets fromFlores et al (2013).4616 ª 2015 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Body size but not warning signal luminance influences predation risk in recently metamorphosed poison frogs

Flores

Stevens

Moore

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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During early development, many aposematic species have bright and conspicuous warning appearance, but have yet to acquire chemical defenses, a phenotypic state which presumably makes them vulnerable to predation. Body size and signal luminance in particular are known to be sensitive to variation in early nutrition. However, the relative importance of these traits as determinants of predation risk in juveniles is not known. To address this question, we utilized computer‐assisted design (CAD) and information on putative predator visual sensitivities to produce artificial models of postmetamorphic froglets that varied in terms of body size and signal luminance. We then deployed the artificial models in the field and measured rates of attack by birds and unknown predators. Our results indicate that body size was a significant predictor of artificial prey survival. Rates of attack by bird predators were significantly higher on smaller models. However, predation by birds did not differ between artificial models of varying signal luminance. This suggests that at the completion of metamorphosis, smaller froglets may be at a selective disadvantage, potentially because predators can discern they have relatively low levels of chemical defense compared to larger froglets. There is likely to be a premium on efficient foraging, giving rise to rapid growth and the acquisition of toxins from dietary sources in juvenile poison frogs.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Similarity Between Artificial Models and Frogletsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Body size but not warning signal luminance influences predation risk in recently metamorphosed poison frogs

Flores

Stevens

Moore

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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Evolutionary trade‐offs may interact with physiological constraints to maintain color variation

Goedert

Clement

Calsbeek

2020

Ecological Monographs

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Animal coloration is a multifaceted trait with many ecological roles and related to a variety of developmental and physiological processes. Consequently, coloration is often subject to a variety of selective pressures, leading to the evolutionary maintenance of variation. In this study, we investigated hypotheses related to the maintenance of dorsal color variation in wood frogs (Rana sylvatica). First, we tested for multimodality, and whether color correlates with body size or condition or varies by sex or age-class. We combined behavioral trials with visual modeling to test for sex recognition. We also considered visual models for predators and tested for an interaction between discriminability indexes (JND) of color channel (chromatic vs. achromatic) and predator type (birds vs. snakes), as well as for a within individual trade-off between the JND of chromatic and achromatic coloration. Finally, we tested for disruptive viability selection on color using predation trials, and for antagonistic directional selection between viability selection and reproductive investment of females. We found that wood frogs present continuous color variation that does not correlate with body size or condition, but that changes with age. Wood frogs present subtle sexual dichromatism, but we found no evidence for a role of color in sex recognition. Instead, we discuss the possibility that sex differences might, at least in part, have a demographic explanation. Predator visual models indicated that wood frogs cannot solely rely on dorsal coloration for camouflage. Moreover, different predators might present selective pressures in different color channels, while individuals' achromatic and chromatic coloration trade-off in JND. Therefore, different selective pressures caused by different predators might interact with ontogenetic changes and developmental/physiological trade-offs to maintain color variation. We found no relationship between color and survival or reproductive investment, suggesting further work is required to fully understand selection on color. Our results highlight the importance of understanding evolutionary trade-offs and developmental/physiological constraints in combination with one another, and suggest the potential for an interaction between these proximate and ultimate mechanisms in the evolutionary maintenance of variation. These results likely extend beyond color expression in amphibians, and exemplify a more general process for such evolutionary outcomes.

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The Costs of Make-up in Sexual Selection and Social Signalling

Costantini

2014

Oxidative Stress and Hormesis in Evolutionary Ecology and Physiology

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Diet, development and the optimization of warning signals in post‐metamorphic green and black poison frogs

Cited by 13 publications

References 148 publications

Body size but not warning signal luminance influences predation risk in recently metamorphosed poison frogs

Body size but not warning signal luminance influences predation risk in recently metamorphosed poison frogs

Evolutionary trade‐offs may interact with physiological constraints to maintain color variation

The Costs of Make-up in Sexual Selection and Social Signalling

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