Responses of red-backed salamanders to soluble and volatile cues of prey

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Responses of red-backed salamanders to soluble and volatile cues of prey Angela Telfer1* and Frederic Laberge1 1 University of Guelph, Integrative Biology, Canada Red-backed salamanders use chemosensation to aid in foraging for prey items, but the roles of soluble and volatile cues have not been investigated separately. According to the Volatility theory of olfactory subsystem function, soluble and volatile cues may be detected separately by each system, with the vomeronasal system responsible for detection of soluble cues and the main olfactory system of volatile cues. However, the Learning theory proposes more complementary roles for both systems that can depend on previous experience. We investigated salamander responses to prey extracts presented in soluble or volatile forms separately, and presentation of both extracts at the same time. Experience with the assay and room temperature (15°C and 21°C) were also varied to investigate if these factors would influence responses. Two behavioural assays were designed to explore salamander responses to localized sources of soluble or volatile cues, respectively. The first (preference assay) presented a choice between a control on one side of the substrate and soluble prey cues on the other, with either control or volatile prey cues disseminated throughout the testing arena using a syringe. The second (attraction assay) presented a choice between a localized source of volatile prey cues leaching from inside a tube on one side and a control tube on the other, with either soluble prey cues or a control present across the entire substrate. Salamander location and chemoinvestigation of the substrate (nosetapping) were measured in both experiments. Investigation of the tubes was also measured in the second experiment. In preference assays, salamanders naïve to the assay showed spatial preferences for prey cues in the warmer temperature, but this was not seen when salamanders were tested in the cooler temperature or when they had previous experience with the assay. In addition, naïve salamanders increased nosetapping in the presence of combined soluble and volatile cues regardless of temperature, but this was not seen in experienced salamanders. In attraction assays, responses to chemical cues were more nuanced and only apparent when examining correlations of salamander behaviours within treatments. Salamanders generally showed significant correlations between overall tube investigation and locomotion regardless of treatment. However, only salamanders receiving soluble and volatile prey cues at the same time showed correlations between investigation of the source of volatile prey cues and side preference, suggesting increased attraction to the tube containing volatile prey cues. This study indicates that prey cues alone are sufficient to trigger salamander foraging behaviour, and that the roles of temperature and previous experience should be considered when conducting olfactory experiments with terrestrial salamanders. While no conclusions can be made on the roles of the two olfactory subsystems without further work, the observed increases in nosetapping support the notion that the vomeronasal system plays a role in prey detection. Nevertheless, results from both preference and attraction assays suggest volatile cues are also important, especially in warmer temperatures. Keywords: amphibian, nosetapping, prey chemical cues Conference: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster (but consider for student poster award) Topic: Sensory: Olfaction and Taste Citation: Telfer A and Laberge F (2012). Responses of red-backed salamanders to soluble and volatile cues of prey. Conference Abstract: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00075 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 26 Mar 2012; Published Online: 07 Jul 2012. * Correspondence: Miss. Angela Telfer, University of Guelph, Integrative Biology, Guelph, Ontario, N1G2W1, Canada, angelatelfer@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Angela Telfer Frederic Laberge Google Angela Telfer Frederic Laberge Google Scholar Angela Telfer Frederic Laberge PubMed Angela Telfer Frederic Laberge Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.