Date of Award
5-8-2012
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract
The toe-twitching behavior elicited by some species of anurans has been shown to have predator prey implications. American and Fowler’s Toads both move the longest toe on their back legs in the presence of crickets and other prey. This has been shown in Cane Toads to have a role in the cannibalization of smaller conspecifics. There is question as to whether the signal itself is visual or vibrational. Our study hypothesized that there would be both visual and vibrational implications. An aquarium was set up with decimeter graph paper laid on the bottom and a cricket was placed on one side of the glass with a frog on the other. Unfortunately, due to bacterial infections and parasites, many of the toads did not make it and no real results were collected. Further studies could be done to finish my experiment and to look at the relationship between vibrational communication in crickets as compared to the vibrations created by the toad’s toes.
Recommended Citation
Brantner, Emily, "Toads and Toes: Does the “toe twitching” in the American and Fowler’s toad result in pedal luring?" (2012). Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate. 118.
https://mosaic.messiah.edu/honors/118
