Strong male/male competition allows for nonchoosy females: high levels of polygynandry in a territorial frog with paternal care

Ursprung, Eva; Ringler, Max; Jehle, Robert; Hödl, Walter

doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05056.x

Cited by 86 publications

(150 citation statements)

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“…Attending multiple clutches could have played a major role in selecting for a high homing performance in A. femoralis males, which were found to have up to five clutches at the same time (Ursprung et al 2011a). In such cases, failure to return to the territory after tadpole transport would result in the loss of the other clutches and thus in a severely reduced reproductive output.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Homing Frog: High Homing Performance in a Territorial Dendrobatid Frog Allobates femoralis (Dendrobatidae)

et al. 2013

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Dendrobatidae (dart-poison frogs) exhibit some of the most complex spatial behaviors among amphibians, such as territoriality and tadpole transport from terrestrial clutches to widely distributed deposition sites. In species that exhibit long-term territoriality, high homing performance after tadpole transport can be assumed, but experimental evidence is lacking, and the underlying orientation mechanisms are unknown. We conducted a field translocation experiment to test whether male Allobates femoralis, a dendrobatid frog with paternal extra-territorial tadpole transport, are capable of homing after experimental removal, as well as to quantify homing success and speed. Translocated individuals showed a very high homing success for distances up to 200 m and successfully returned from up to 400 m. We discuss the potential orientation mechanisms involved and selective forces that could have shaped this strong homing ability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Homing Frog: High Homing Performance in a Territorial Dendrobatid Frog Allobates femoralis (Dendrobatidae)

et al. 2013

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“…The primary function of territoriality in male frogs is associated with reproduction (reviews for amphibians : Wells 2007;dendrobatids: Pröhl 2005;Ursprung et al 2011a). Larger males often win contests over calling sites, territories or females (Davies and Halliday 1978;Robertson 1986a;Arak 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Intrasexual competition, territoriality and acoustic communication in male strawberry poison frogs (Oophaga pumilio)

Meuche

Linsenmair

Pröhl

2012

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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In many species male reproductive success is limited by access to females. Territoriality is one behavioural strategy which helps to acquire females. In the present study, we investigated the correlation between territory size and (1) female availability and (2) rate of intrusion by conspecific males in strawberry poison frogs, Oophaga pumilio. Males defended smaller territories in areas with a high female density and high rate of intrusion by conspecific males. Only males with high body condition values were able to establish territories in areas of high female density probably due to better fighting abilities. Moreover, dominant calling frequency was lower during agonistic interactions. Because only males with high body condition values were able to produce very low dominant frequencies, the acoustic properties appear to be an honest signal containing information about fighting abilities. Thus, the negative correlation between dominant frequency and mating success of males found in previous studies seems to be in part the result of intrasexual competition between males.

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“…Females occupy perches interspersed between male territories, but do not show any aggressive interactions to either sex4042. Both sexes are iteroparous and highly polygamous throughout the reproductive season43. Courtship, mating, and terrestrial oviposition take place in the leaf litter inside the male’s territory4244, therefore possessing a territory is a prerequisite for male reproductive success43.…”

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Adopt, ignore, or kill? Male poison frogs adjust parental decisions according to their territorial status

Ringler

Beck

Weinlein

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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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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Strong male/male competition allows for nonchoosy females: high levels of polygynandry in a territorial frog with paternal care

Cited by 86 publications

References 87 publications

The Homing Frog: High Homing Performance in a Territorial Dendrobatid Frog Allobates femoralis (Dendrobatidae)

The Homing Frog: High Homing Performance in a Territorial Dendrobatid Frog Allobates femoralis (Dendrobatidae)

Intrasexual competition, territoriality and acoustic communication in male strawberry poison frogs (Oophaga pumilio)

Adopt, ignore, or kill? Male poison frogs adjust parental decisions according to their territorial status

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