An investigation of the alarm response in Bufo boreas and Rana cascadae tadpoles. 1985

D K Hews, and A R Blaustein

Tadpoles of the western toad (Bufo boreas) and of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) show an alarm reaction to an extract containing chemical cues from damaged conspecifics. The mean time spent by individual B. boreas tadpoles in the half of the test tank to which the extract solution was added was significantly lower than expected by chance. Activity was also significantly greater in Bufo extract tests than in control tests. Tadpoles did not avoid an extract of another tadpole species (Hyla regilla). Rana cascadae tadpoles did not avoid areas containing Rana extract but did significantly increase their level of activity in response to the extract. These results suggest that the R. cascadae tadpole alarm reaction exists but differs from the B. boreas reaction.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007814 Larva Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals. Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D011898 Ranidae The family of true frogs of the order Anura. The family occurs worldwide except in Antarctica. Frogs, True,Rana,Frog, True,True Frog,True Frogs
D002025 Bufonidae The family of true toads belonging to the order Anura. The genera include Bufo, Ansonia, Nectophrynoides, and Atelopus. Bufo,Toads, True,Bufos,Toad, True,True Toad,True Toads
D002628 Chemoreceptor Cells Cells specialized to detect chemical substances and relay that information centrally in the nervous system. Chemoreceptor cells may monitor external stimuli, as in TASTE and OLFACTION, or internal stimuli, such as the concentrations of OXYGEN and CARBON DIOXIDE in the blood. Chemoreceptive Cells,Cell, Chemoreceptive,Cell, Chemoreceptor,Cells, Chemoreceptive,Cells, Chemoreceptor,Chemoreceptive Cell,Chemoreceptor Cell
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue
D004924 Escape Reaction Innate response elicited by sensory stimuli associated with a threatening situation, or actual confrontation with an enemy. Flight Reaction,Escape Reactions,Flight Reactions,Reaction, Escape,Reaction, Flight,Reactions, Escape,Reactions, Flight
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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