image: Poison frog tadpoles seek parental transportation to escape their cannibalistic siblings. view more
Credit: The Journal of Zoology
Poison frog tadpoles are dependent on parent for transportation, which helps them become separated from their cannibalistic siblings. A new study found that if all tadpoles hatch into the same pool and an adult frog enters it, tadpoles are highly attracted to the adult and try to mount it in order to escape their siblings--even if the frog does not show any willingness to conduct transportation behaviours.
The Journal of Zoology findings may not only be useful for studies on the evolution of begging behaviours in poison frogs, but also for those investigating potential parent-offspring conflicts in amphibians (where the offspring demands more care than the parents are willing to give) and begging behaviours in animals in general.
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Journal
Journal of Zoology