RT Journal Article
T1 Sex and habitat differences in size and coloration of an amphibian's poison glands match differential predator pressures
A1 Zamora Camacho, Francisco Javier
AB Chemical defenses are frequently accompanied by salient color patterns actively avoided by predators, a phenomenon referred to as aposematism. However, the production of both chemical defenses and pigments is costly, and is thus expected to be reduced under mild predator pressure. In this work, I compared the size and coloration of parotoid glands (2 dorsal, external swollen structures that secrete toxins in toads) of male and female Epidalea calamita toads from agrosystems and from pine groves. I also quantified the predator attacks received by plasticine toad models, whose “parotoid glands” differed in size and color conspicuousness, exposed in each habitat. Predators avoided models with large and conspicuous parotoid glands, but models in agrosystems were more often attacked. Concerning actual toads, agrosystem and male individuals had larger parotoid glands, presumably implying greater production of chemical defenses than in pine grove and female conspecifics. These findings are aligned with previous research suggesting that both agrosystem toads and males in this system are subjected to a more intense predator pressure. Difference between parotoid gland and dorsum coloration was greater in agrosystem toads. A marked internal pattern could function as an aposematic signal, which could counteract increased predator pressure.
PB John Wiley & Sons
SN 1749-4877
YR 2021
FD 2021-10-27
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124938
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124938
LA eng
NO Zamora-Camacho, F. J. (2022). Sex and habitat differences in size and coloration of an amphibian’s poison glands match differential predator pressures. Integrative Zoology, 17(5), 764-776. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12597
DS Docta Complutense
RD 31 dic 2025