Meeting Abstract

6.5  Friday, Jan. 4  Larval density affects jumping performance development during metamorphosis in two arboreal frogs LANDBERG, T*; WARKENTIN, K; WILINK, B; MOUNT, K; CLOUSE, E; WHITEMAN, H; Murray State University; Boston University; University of Costa Rica; Murray State University; Murray State University; Murray State University tobias.landberg@gmail.com

Metamorphosis is the rapid shift of an organism between niches. In amphibians, the transition between phenotypes adapted for aquatic larval and terrestrial adult environments is awkward and dangerous. Metamorphs are not well-adapted to life either in water or on land and therefore vulnerable to predation. In two separate outdoor mesocosm experiments in Panama and Kentucky we raised larval Red-Eyed treefrogs (RE; Agalychnis callidryas; n=344) and Cope’s Grey tree frogs (CG; Hyla chrysocelis; n=176) under high, medium and low density conditions. To measure the carry-over effects of the larval stage on the development of jumping performance, each individual was placed at the center of a jumping arena marked with concentric circles (1.25cm and 1cm apart for RE and CG respectively) and stimulated to jump by applying gentle manual pressure to their rear ends. We analyzed the average of three jumps per individual and also measured snout-vent, limb (tibiafibula), and tail lengths, mass, and stage of metamophosis (Gosner stages). When analyzed separately using ANCOVA, both species showed similarly strong positive effects of snout-vent length and limb length on jumping performance and strong negative effects of tail length. Both species also showed snout-vent length by mass interactions and effects of density that interacted with morphological traits such as tail and limb length. Clear species effects are also apparent. While limited in scope, this simple two-species comparison reveals that during metamorphosis there is a highly dynamic relationship between body size metrics and jumping performance that is modified by the larval environment.