Presentation Type
Poster
Keywords
poison frog, behavior, neotropical, conspecific, physical stress signals
Department
Biology
Major
Biology
Abstract
Amphibian declines have been a major focus of the scientific community for nearly three decades. Many studies describe the leading causes of amphibian decline related to disease, with chytridiomycosis as the most notable example. However, little is known about behavioral conspecific interactions among ill or stressed amphibians, particularly neotropical species. Previous observational research on poison frogs determined that stressed Dendrobates auratus flip onto their backs in a reaction that is similar to fainting in other species. In this study, we examine conspecific interactions of green-and-black poison frogs (D. auratus) with “healthy” and “sick” model frogs, in order to determine a difference in interaction time between an upright healthy D. auratus model and an inverted sick D. auratus model. Our data show that there is no difference between the interaction time and physical touch of live D. auratus frogs with upright or inverted model frogs (P > 0.05 for both). These data suggest that D. auratus frogs may not discriminate between healthy or ill conspecifics, even though they may recognize physical conspecific cues that signal illness. Thus, deadly diseases like chytridiomycosis that spread through water and direct contact with infected individuals, will continue to kill off native amphibian species that are beneficial for species diversity and community stability in nature.
The effect of physical stress signals on conspecific interactions in green-and-black poison frogs (Dendrobates auratus)
Faculty Mentor
Lee B. Kats
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
23-3-2018 2:00 PM
End Date
23-3-2018 3:30 PM
Included in
The effect of physical stress signals on conspecific interactions in green-and-black poison frogs (Dendrobates auratus)
Waves Cafeteria
Amphibian declines have been a major focus of the scientific community for nearly three decades. Many studies describe the leading causes of amphibian decline related to disease, with chytridiomycosis as the most notable example. However, little is known about behavioral conspecific interactions among ill or stressed amphibians, particularly neotropical species. Previous observational research on poison frogs determined that stressed Dendrobates auratus flip onto their backs in a reaction that is similar to fainting in other species. In this study, we examine conspecific interactions of green-and-black poison frogs (D. auratus) with “healthy” and “sick” model frogs, in order to determine a difference in interaction time between an upright healthy D. auratus model and an inverted sick D. auratus model. Our data show that there is no difference between the interaction time and physical touch of live D. auratus frogs with upright or inverted model frogs (P > 0.05 for both). These data suggest that D. auratus frogs may not discriminate between healthy or ill conspecifics, even though they may recognize physical conspecific cues that signal illness. Thus, deadly diseases like chytridiomycosis that spread through water and direct contact with infected individuals, will continue to kill off native amphibian species that are beneficial for species diversity and community stability in nature.
The effect of physical stress signals on conspecific interactions in green-and-black poison frogs (Dendrobates auratus)