Poison frogs rely on experience to find the way home in the rainforest.

Andrius Pašukonis,Max Ringler,Ian Warrington,Walter Hödl

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0642

Abstract

Among vertebrates, comparable spatial learning abilities have been found in birds, mammals, turtles and fishes, but virtually nothing is known about such abilities in amphibians. Overall, amphibians are the most sedentary vertebrates, but poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) routinely shuttle tadpoles from terrestrial territories to dispersed aquatic deposition sites. We hypothesize that dendrobatid frogs rely on learning for flexible navigation. We tested the role of experience with the local cues for poison frog way-finding by (i) experimentally displacing territorial males of Allobates femoralis over several hundred metres, (ii) using a harmonic direction finder with miniature transponders to track these small frogs, and (iii) using a natural river barrier to separate the translocated frogs from any familiar landmarks. We found that homeward orientation was disrupted by the translocation to the unfamiliar area but frogs translocated over similar distances in their local area showed significant homeward orientation and returned to their territories via a direct path. We suggest that poison frogs rely on spatial learning for way-finding in their local area.

Highlights

Repeated attempts have been made to formulate a conceptual and evolutionary framework for animal navigation, integrating the findings from birds, mammals and insects [1,2]
We tested the role of experience with the local cues for poison frog way-finding by (i) experimentally displacing territorial males of Allobates femoralis over several hundred metres, (ii) using a harmonic direction finder with miniature transponders to track these small frogs, and (iii) using a natural river barrier to separate the translocated frogs from any familiar landmarks
We found that homeward orientation was disrupted by the translocation to the unfamiliar area but frogs translocated over similar distances in their local area showed significant homeward orientation and returned to their territories via a direct path

Summary

Introduction

Repeated attempts have been made to formulate a conceptual and evolutionary framework for animal navigation, integrating the findings from birds, mammals and insects [1,2]. Comparable spatial learning abilities have been found in birds and mammals, as well as some turtles and teleost fish. Very little is known about spatial learning and navigation in amphibians— the root branch of all tetrapods. Amphibians are the most sedentary vertebrates (for a review, see [4,5]), but some of them face challenging navigational tasks. Poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) are restricted to the highly structured Neotropical habitats where they show some of the most complex spatial behaviours among amphibians. These small territorial frogs with terrestrial clutches rely on water for tadpole development. Poison frogs routinely shuttle tadpoles on their back from the terrestrial clutches to suitable deposition sites, many of which are temporary and widely dispersed [6]

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Conclusion