78-3 Sat Jan 2 Do parental roles shape species and sex difference in poison frog space use and navigation? Pašukonis, A*; Serrano Rojas, SJ; Fischer, MT; Loretto, MC; Shaykevich, D; Rojas, B; Roland, A; Marcillo, A; Ringler, E; Ringler, M; Coloma, LA; O’Connell, L; Stanford University, Stanford; Stanford University, Stanford; Stanford University, Stanford; Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell; Stanford University, Stanford; University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä; INSERM, Toulouse; Centro Jambatu for Research and Conservation of Amphibians, Quito; Bern University, Bern; Bern University, Bern; Centro Jambatu for Research and Conservation of Amphibians , Quito; Stanford University, Stanford apasukonis@stanford.edu
Species and sex differences in space use and spatial abilities have been well-studied in birds and mammals but remain unexplored in other vertebrates. Poison frogs shuttle tadpoles from terrestrial clutches to scattered pools in the rainforest, but the parental sex roles and parental behaviors differ among closely related species. We tracked three poison frog species with different parental roles in the field to explore the interactions between parental care, reproductive strategy, space-use, and navigational ability. Parental duties of tadpole transport and provisioning increased the movement extent in the care providing sex. The degree of sex difference in the extent of space use and daily mobility varied among species and was influenced by the species-specific reproductive strategy. Observed species differences in space use were also reflected in striking differences of navigational strategy and ability, but navigational sex difference was marked only in one species. Together, our data reveal how a complex interplay between parental roles, reproductive strategy, and movement results in striking species and sex differences in space use and spatial abilities among closely related species.
