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Conspecific alarm cues, but not predator cues alone, determine antipredator behavior of larval southern marbled newts, Triturus pygmaeus

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Abstract

Predation imposes selection on the ability of prey to recognize and respond to potential threats. Many prey species detect predators via chemoreception, particularly in aquatic environments. Also, chemical cues from injured prey are often perceived as an indication of predation risk. However, because antipredatory behavior can be costly, prey responses should depend on the current level of risk that each predator poses, which may depend on the type of chemical cues detected. We exposed larval newts, Triturus pygmaeus, to chemical cues from predator larval beetles or to alarm cues from conspecific larval newts and examined the behavioral changes of larval newts. Results showed that larval newts reduced activity levels when conspecific alarm cues were present but not when the predator cues alone were present. These results might suggest that larval newts are unable to recognize predator chemicals. To avoid costs of unnecessary antipredatory behaviors, larval newts may benefit by avoiding only predators that represent a current high level of threat, showing only antipredatory responses when they detect conspecific alarm cues indicating that an actual predatory attack has occurred.

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Acknowledgments

We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and El Ventorrillo MNCN Field Station for use of their facilities. Financial support was provided by MEC-FPU grants to A.G. and C.C. and by the projects MCI-CGL2008-02119/BOS and MICIIN-CGL2011-24150/BOS.

Integrity of research and reporting

The manuscript submitted for publication complied with the current laws of Spain, and the experiments were carried out under license from the Consejería de Medioambiente de la Comunidad de Madrid (the Environmental Agency of the local Government of Madrid). The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Adega Gonzalo, Carlos Cabido, Pilar López & José Martín

  2. Department of Herpetology, Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Alto de Zorroaga 11, 20014, San Sebastián, Spain

    Carlos Cabido

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  1. Adega Gonzalo
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  2. Carlos Cabido
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  3. Pilar López
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  4. José Martín
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Correspondence to José Martín.

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Gonzalo, A., Cabido, C., López, P. et al. Conspecific alarm cues, but not predator cues alone, determine antipredator behavior of larval southern marbled newts, Triturus pygmaeus . acta ethol 15, 211–216 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-012-0123-3

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