Palatability of Bufo Marinus Tadpoles to a Vertebrate Fish Predator Decreases with Development

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Author(s)
L. Lawler, Karen
Hero, Jean-Marc
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
1997
Metadata
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This investigation showed an ontogenetic shift in the palatability of Bufo marinus tadpoles by measuring consumption of tadpoles at three different developmental stages (newly hatched, intermediate and pre- metamorphic) by an Australian predatory fish, Lates calcarifer (barramundi). A known-palatable tadpole, Limnodynastes ornatus, was used as the control. B. marinus tadpoles at all developmental stages were unpalatable relative to a palatable alternative, with the later stages being the least palatable. Choice experiments further demonstrated that L. calcarifer were able to recognise and choose L. ornatus tadpoles in ...
View more >This investigation showed an ontogenetic shift in the palatability of Bufo marinus tadpoles by measuring consumption of tadpoles at three different developmental stages (newly hatched, intermediate and pre- metamorphic) by an Australian predatory fish, Lates calcarifer (barramundi). A known-palatable tadpole, Limnodynastes ornatus, was used as the control. B. marinus tadpoles at all developmental stages were unpalatable relative to a palatable alternative, with the later stages being the least palatable. Choice experiments further demonstrated that L. calcarifer were able to recognise and choose L. ornatus tadpoles in preference to those of B. marinus. Our experiments demonstrate that at all stages of development, B. marinus tadpoles were unpalatable to L. calcarifer. Contrary to the model proposed by Brodie and Formanowicz (1987), our results suggest an ontogenetic shift in palatability of B. marinus tadpoles to a vertebrate fish predator, with the later stages being less palatable.
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View more >This investigation showed an ontogenetic shift in the palatability of Bufo marinus tadpoles by measuring consumption of tadpoles at three different developmental stages (newly hatched, intermediate and pre- metamorphic) by an Australian predatory fish, Lates calcarifer (barramundi). A known-palatable tadpole, Limnodynastes ornatus, was used as the control. B. marinus tadpoles at all developmental stages were unpalatable relative to a palatable alternative, with the later stages being the least palatable. Choice experiments further demonstrated that L. calcarifer were able to recognise and choose L. ornatus tadpoles in preference to those of B. marinus. Our experiments demonstrate that at all stages of development, B. marinus tadpoles were unpalatable to L. calcarifer. Contrary to the model proposed by Brodie and Formanowicz (1987), our results suggest an ontogenetic shift in palatability of B. marinus tadpoles to a vertebrate fish predator, with the later stages being less palatable.
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Journal Title
Wildlife Research
Volume
24
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 1997 CSIRO. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Environmental Sciences
Biological Sciences