Responses of grey treefrog and American toad tadpoles to the presence of cues from multiple predators

Author： Smith Geoffrey R. Boyd Allison Dayer Christopher B. Ogle Megan E. Terlecky Andrew J.

Publisher： British Herpetological Society

ISSN： 0268-0130

Source： The Herpetological Journal, Vol.19, Iss.2, 2009-04, pp. : 79-83

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Abstract

Prey may often need to confront and integrate cues from multiple predators simultaneously. We examined the effects of the cues of two potential predators, mosquitofish and odonates, individually and in combination, on the behaviour of two species of anuran tadpoles, grey treefrog (Hyla versicolor) and American toad (Bufo americanus). Mosquitofish cues alone reduced the activity of tadpoles of Hyla versicolor, but had no effect on activity of the tadpoles of Bufo americanus. Odonate cues had no independent effects on the behaviour of B. americanus or H. versicolor. The behaviour of neither species was affected differently by the simultaneous exposure to mosquitofish and odonate cues compared to the independent effects of each predator cue. Habitat use was not affected by any cues or combination of cues in either species. Our results suggest that grey treefrog tadpoles and American toad tadpoles do not respond to the combination of cues from multiple predators any differently than would be expected from their exposure to each cue independently. Our results also demonstrate that the behavioural response of tadpoles to predator cues can be variable among species of prey, as well as among species of predator.