Multimodal stimuli regulate reproductive behavior and physiology in male túngara frogs

Still, Meghan B.; Lea, Amanda M.; Hofmann, Hans A.; Ryan, Michael J.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.06.010

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Even learning of chemical cues at embryonic stages has been described (Hepper and Waldman 1992). Additionally, chemical signals are also important in different social contexts in adult anurans (Kam 2002;Still et al 2019). For instance, Leiopelma hamiltoni releases a chemical compound in the faeces that provides information to conspecific individuals about the size of the sender (Lee and Waldman 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Females of the four-eyed frog, Pleurodema thaul (Anura, Leptodactylidae), respond behaviourally to conspecific male scent

Rojas¹,

Labra²,

Valdés³

et al. 2021

Herpetozoa

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Among amphibians, conspecific chemical communication has been widely studied in Caudata. Adult anurans, by contrast, have received less attention. Recently, it was shown that chemical scents are also relevant for adult anuran intraspecific communication. In this context, we evaluate whether females of the four-eyed frog (Pleurodema thaul) respond to conspecific male scents. We carried out a double choice experiment in a Y-maze. Females were repeatedly presented with the scents of several males versus distilled water. To extract the scent from males, we acoustically stimulated males and then used the water from their aquaria for the experiments. Our data suggest that females are capable of responding behaviourally to male scents, since they spent longer periods in the zones with male scent, rather than in zones with water. We propose that under natural breeding conditions, females of P. thaul may use either their chemical sense or chemical cues to facilitate their encounters with males.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Females of the four-eyed frog, Pleurodema thaul (Anura, Leptodactylidae), respond behaviourally to conspecific male scent

Rojas¹,

Labra²,

Valdés³

et al. 2021

Herpetozoa

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“…male-male competition). To the best of our knowledge, the only previous study that provides support for the challenge hypothesis in an amphibian species showed that males of the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) increased water-borne testosterone after being challenged with a combined chemical (holding water containing excretions of conspecific calling males) and acoustic stimulus (Still et al, 2019). The general idea of the functional significance of the increase of testosterone above the breeding baseline levels is likely to prepare males for a potential agonistic encounter, such as by increasing its muscular contractile capacity and locomotor performance (Miles et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…duration of the playback, live vs. synthetic decoy; reviewed by Goymann et al, 2007). For instance, an androgen response was only elicited in the túngara frog when chemical and acoustic stimuli were presented in combination (Still et al, 2019). Although A. femoralis males are strongly territorial and usually males jump towards the sound source in playback experiments (Hödl, 1983), they require to be confronted by bimodal signals (acoustic and visual) in order to display physical attacks (Narins et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another benefit of water-borne sampling is that it can be performed repeatedly without harming the animal. For instance, researchers can evaluate hormone concentrations of individuals in different life history stages (Adkins-Regan, 2005; Baugh and Gray-Gaillard, 2020; Leary, 2009) and/or, compare hormonal responses between pre-and post-challenges (Bell, 2019; Still et al, 2019). Thus, in many cases water-borne sampling might even constitute a preferable alternative to invasive methods (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, in males of the Smith frog ( Hypsiboas faber ) testosterone levels did not increase after challenging males with STIs (de Assis et al, 2012). Otherwise, in the túngara frog ( Engystomops pustulosus ), water-borne testosterone concentration increased after confronting males to a combined acoustic and chemical (excretions of calling males) stimulus simulating a male competitor (Still et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Androgen responsiveness to simulated territorial intrusions inAllobates femoralismales: evidence supporting the challenge hypothesis in a territorial frog

Rodríguez

Fusani

Raboisson

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Territorial behaviour has been widely described across many animal taxa, where the acquisition and defence of a territory are critical for the fitness of an individual. Extensive evidence suggests that androgens (e.g. testosterone) are involved in the modulation of territorial behaviour in male vertebrates. Short-term increase of androgen following a territorial encounter appears to favour the outcome of a challenge. The “Challenge Hypothesis” proposed by Wingfield and colleagues outlines the existence of a positive feedback relationship between androgen and social challenges (e.g. territorial intrusions) in male vertebrates. Here we tested the challenge hypothesis in the highly territorial poison frog, Allobates femoralis, in its natural habitat by exposing males to simulated territorial intrusions in form of acoustic playbacks. We quantified repeatedly androgen concentrations of individual males via a non-invasive water-borne sampling approach. Our results show that A. femoralis males exhibited a positive behavioural and androgenic response after being confronted to simulated territorial intrusions, providing support for the Challenge Hypothesis in a territorial frog.

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Chemical Communication and Semiochemical Recognition in Frogs: From Eggs to Adults

Schulte,

Lipkowski,

Abondano Almeida

2023

Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 15

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Multimodal stimuli regulate reproductive behavior and physiology in male túngara frogs

Cited by 17 publications

References 67 publications

Females of the four-eyed frog, Pleurodema thaul (Anura, Leptodactylidae), respond behaviourally to conspecific male scent

Females of the four-eyed frog, Pleurodema thaul (Anura, Leptodactylidae), respond behaviourally to conspecific male scent

Androgen responsiveness to simulated territorial intrusions inAllobates femoralismales: evidence supporting the challenge hypothesis in a territorial frog

Chemical Communication and Semiochemical Recognition in Frogs: From Eggs to Adults

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