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Threat‐sensitive Predator Avoidance by Larval Pacific Treefrogs (Amphibia, Hylidae)
Author(s) -
Puttlitz Matthew H.,
Chivers Douglas P.,
Kiesecker Joseph M.,
Blaustein Andrew R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
ethology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0179-1613
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0310.1999.00416.x
Subject(s) - predator , hylidae , tadpole (physics) , predation , biology , salamander , hyla , larva , predator avoidance , tree frog , ecology , zoology , physics , particle physics
According to the threat‐sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis, the intensity of a prey animal’s antipredator response should reflect its vulnerability to a specific predator. In laboratory experiments, we observed the intensity of antipredator responses of Pacific treefrog ( Hyla regilla ) tadpoles to stimuli from caged larval northwestern salamander ( Ambystoma gracile ) predators. We varied the sizes of the tadpoles relative to the salamanders in an attempt to create differences in vulnerability of tadpoles to the salamander predators. After documenting the response of the tadpoles to the caged predator, we tested the tadpole’s vulnerability to the predator by releasing the tadpole with the predator. We observed that as the relative size of the tadpoles to the caged salamanders increased, the antipredator response of the tadpoles decreased. These changes in behaviour closely mirrored changes in actual vulnerability to the predator. Our results provide experimental support for the threat‐sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis.