Abstract
Mechanism of food detection in Rana temporalis tadpoles was studied using a rectangular choice tank with end compartments (stimulus zones) providing exclusively visual and/or chemical food cues. Boiled spinach served as the food. The test tadpoles were starved for 24 h before use. They were released from the center of the choice tank (n=24) after 5 min of acclimation to test for end bias and food-detecting mechanism. The number of tadpoles in the two stimulus zones was recorded at 5-min intervals from 10 to 30 min. In the end-bias tests (without food cues) tadpole distribution was comparable at all times in the two compartments of the choice tank, exhibiting no end bias. In tests with the visual food cues provided in one of the stimulus zones, the tadpole distribution was also random. On the other hand, in experiments involving chemical cues emanating from food the tadpoles preferentially associated with the food source in significantly greater numbers compared to the zone lacking food or providing only a visual cue. The experiments with individual test tadpoles also revealed that they detect food based on chemical cues and ruled out “copycat” behavior. These findings on R. temporalis tadpoles reveal that chemical senses predominate over the visual senses in detection of food and foraging.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grants from the Department of Science and Technology (DST grant no. SP/SO-C-29/2000) and Special Assistance Program, University Grants Commission, New Delhi. DKV worked as a junior research fellow in the DST grant.
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Veeranagoudar, D.K., Shanbhag, B.A. & Saidapur, S.K. Mechanism of food detection in the tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis. acta ethol 7, 37–41 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-004-0096-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-004-0096-y