INVESTIGADORES
PUETA mariana
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Predation by dragonflies affects Bufo arenarum tadpole behavior and growth
Autor/es:
PEROTTI, M.G.; FITZGERAL, L.; MORENO, L.; PUETA, M.
Lugar:
Indianapolis, USA.
Reunión:
Congreso; ASIH (Joint meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists); 2001
Institución organizadora:
ASIH
Resumen:
We evaluated indirect effects of dragonfly predation on phenotypic plasticity in Bufo arenarum tadpoles. We reared intact and tail-damaged larvae in three different predator treatments: 1) predators fed Bufo tadpoles, 2) starved predators, and 3) no predators.  Response variables were activity, growth rate, and morphological traits. Intact tadpoles were significantly less active than damaged tadpoles when exposed to predators that were fed tadpoles. There was no significant effect of tail damage and predator treatments on growth rate, but there was significant statistical interaction between the treatments. Significant changes in morphology were observed in the damage treatment. Damaged tadpoles exposed to predators had relatively wider bodies and deeper tail fins.  The results obtained for Bufo arenarum were consistent with other studies of tadpole ecology, that showed changes in behavior and an accelerated growth rate may play an important role in anti-predator strategies of tadpoles. Chemical cues probably alerted conspecifics to predation risk, resulting in decreased activity and time to metamorphosis.