Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of the Prolonged Courtship in Brilliant-Thighed Poison Frogs, Allobates femoralis

Stückler, Susanne; Ringler, Max; Pašukonis, Andrius; Weinlein, Steffen; Hödl, Walter; Ringler, Eva

doi:10.1655/herpetologica-d-19-00010.1

Cited by 19 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Intra-specific differences in female space use (Table S3) likely originate from population densities, long-term site choice and the availability and quality of resources around the centers of use. For example, temporary resources like pools, spawning sites, conspecifics or food sources were described to influence movements of poison frogs (pool availability: A. paleovarzensis: Rocha, Lima & Kaefer, 2018;phytotelmata availability: O. pumilio: Donnelly, 1989;Pröhl & Berke, 2001;Ranitomeya ventrimaculata: Poelman & Dicke, 2008;conspecific attraction: O. pumilio: Folt, Donnelly & Guyer, 2018; momentary food resources: A. femoralis: M Ringler, 2016M Ringler, -2019. In our study, female time management and space use was not correlated to the number of surrounding males, suggesting that females adjust their fine-scale movement to other factors but male density, such as the immediate behavior or location of surrounding frogs (e.g., Ward, Webster & Hart, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We determined the reproductive status of each female daily. Courtship in A. femoralis typically spans two days: it starts on the first day with a prolongated 'courtship march' where the female follows a male emitting courtship calls (Stückler et al, 2019; this study). The couple typically spends the nights under a leaf.…”

Section: Female Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…For each data point, we additionally noted any observed behavior (e.g., social interactions, courtship, tadpole transport, egg deposition, feeding). Courtship behavior was assigned when the female was following a male producing a courtship call (Stückler et al, 2019). After each courtship, we recorded the exact location of the oviposition site and captured and identified the mating partner.…”

Section: Tracking Frogs Using a Harmonic Direction Findermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We reviewed reports on natural behavior of A. femoralis females from the literature (Table S1) and compared them to the presence/absence of these behaviors in females equipped with a tag. As reproductive traits differ considerably between different A. femoralis populations (e.g., different rate of male rejection during courtship (Stückler et al, 2019)), we focused on behaviors described for the same (e.g., Stückler et al, 2019) or nearby populations. Female activity patterns throughout the day.…”

Section: Behavioral Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the reproductive season, males establish and defend territories which are advertised by calling from elevated structures such as palm leaves, logs or branches (Weygoldt, 1980;Narins, Hödl & Grabul, 2003;Hödl, Amézquita & Narins, 2004;Amézquita et al, 2006). Females are attracted by calling males and deposit clutches in the male's territory after a prolonged courtship (Weygoldt, 1980;Roithmair, 1994;Montanarin, Kaefer & Lima, 2011;Stückler et al, 2019). Males typically transport tadpoles from the leaf litter clutch to water bodies outside of the territory (Lescure, 1976;Ringler et al, 2013;Ringler et al, 2018), but females take over the duty when fathers disappear .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproductive behavior drives female space use in a sedentary Neotropical frog

Fischer

Ringler

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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Longer-range movements of anuran amphibians such as mass migrations and habitat invasion have received a lot of attention, but fine-scale spatial behavior remains largely understudied. This gap is especially striking for species that show long-term site fidelity and display their whole behavioral repertoire in a small area. Studying fine-scale movement with conventional capture-mark-recapture techniques is difficult in inconspicuous amphibians: individuals are hard to find, repeated captures might affect their behavior and the number of data points is too low to allow a detailed interpretation of individual space use and time budgeting. In this study, we overcame these limitations by equipping females of the Brilliant-Thighed Poison Frog (Allobates femoralis) with a tag allowing frequent monitoring of their location and behavior. Neotropical poison frogs are well known for their complex behavior and diverse reproductive and parental care strategies. Although the ecology and behavior of the polygamous leaf-litter frog Allobates femoralis is well studied, little is known about the fine-scale space use of the non-territorial females who do not engage in acoustic and visual displays. We tracked 17 females for 6 to 17 days using a harmonic direction finder to provide the first precise analysis of female space use in this species. Females moved on average 1 m per hour and the fastest movement, over 20 m per hour, was related to a subsequent mating event. Traveled distances and activity patterns on days of courtship and mating differed considerably from days without reproduction. Frogs moved more on days with lower temperature and more precipitation, but mating seemed to be the main trigger for female movement. We observed 21 courtships of 12 tagged females. For seven females, we observed two consecutive mating events. Estimated home ranges after 14 days varied considerably between individuals and courtship and mating associated space use made up for ∼30% of the home range. Allobates femoralis females spent large parts of their time in one to three small centers of use. Females did not adjust their time or space use to the density of males in their surroundings and did not show wide-ranging exploratory behavior. Our study demonstrates how tracking combined with detailed behavioral observations can reveal the patterns and drivers of fine-scale spatial behavior in sedentary species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Female Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Tracking Frogs Using a Harmonic Direction Findermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Behavioral Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reproductive behavior drives female space use in a sedentary Neotropical frog

Fischer

Ringler

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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Calling amplitude flexibility and acoustic spacing in the territorial frog Allobates femoralis

Rodríguez

Amézquita

Ringler

et al. 2020

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Most male frogs produce calls to attract females and repel rivals. The transmission of these calls can be affected by many acoustic and environmental characteristics, which can influence the detection and decoding of the signal by the receiver. Calling-perch height has a strong influence on sound propagation and acoustic spacing with neighboring males, but how frogs optimize their calling behavior in this context is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated if and how frogs can adjust the calling energy in the context of acoustic spacing. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between calling-perch height, nearest-neighbor distance, and sound-pressure level in the brilliant-thighed poison frog Allobates femoralis. We found that frogs flexibly adjust the calling amplitude according to the calling-perch height without affecting the effectiveness signal propagation. Accompanying signal propagation experiments demonstrated that calls produced with lower amplitude from higher perches propagate similar to louder calls from the ground. Our results suggest an adjustment to the hypothesis of a general positive effect of calling-perch height on signal effectiveness, where highly territorial frogs adjust their calling behavior to reduce energy expenditure and optimize acoustic communication with conspecifics. Significance statement In acoustically communicating species, sound propagates better when broadcasted from elevated positions. However, callers may adjust their calling behavior to optimize the sound transmission under ecological constraints. By using a correlative and manipulative approach, we show in a poison frog model that males can adjust their calling amplitude according to the calling-perch height. We then discuss that this calling adjustment optimizes the acoustic spacing between conspecific males and reduces energy consumption.

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Behavioural consistency across metamorphosis in a neotropical poison frog

Bégué,

Tschirren,

Peignier

et al. 2023

Evol Ecol

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Animals often show consistency in their behavioural repertoire across time and/or contexts that differs from other individuals of the same population, i.e. animal personality. We currently have quite an incomplete understanding of the factors that lead to behavioural traits remaining stable – or becoming decoupled – over an animal’s lifetime. In this study, we investigated the role of metamorphosis in the development of animal personality in a Neotropical poison frog, a species that undergoes drastic morphological and ecological changes during its development. We used lab-reared individuals of the brilliant-thighed poison frog Allobates femoralis to assess if consistent individual differences are already present at the tadpole stage, and if these differences are maintained throughout metamorphosis. We found evidence for two personality traits, exploration and boldness, already present in A. femoralis tadpoles. Despite the drastic changes in morphology, physiology, and habitat in the transition from tadpoles to metamorphs, personality traits persisted throughout metamorphosis, suggesting a physiological and/or genetic basis for the measured behavioural traits. We also found that exploration and boldness related behaviours were correlated with growth speed. Very bold and explorative individuals took fewer days until metamorphosis compared to very shy and non-explorative ones, which is in line with the concept of a Pace-of-Life Syndrome. These findings provide important insights into the proximate mechanisms that generate personality in species with complex life cycles.

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Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of the Prolonged Courtship in Brilliant-Thighed Poison Frogs, Allobates femoralis

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 19 publications

References 71 publications

Reproductive behavior drives female space use in a sedentary Neotropical frog

Reproductive behavior drives female space use in a sedentary Neotropical frog

Calling amplitude flexibility and acoustic spacing in the territorial frog Allobates femoralis

Behavioural consistency across metamorphosis in a neotropical poison frog

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