We back for another invertebrate versus amphibian episode. But this time we’re focusing on carabid beetles and their relentless consumption all amphibian life. They have managed to turn the tables on their would be predator in a remarkable case of role-reversal. Species of the Bi-week is a beautiful frog with a fittingly macabre name. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com
Main Paper References:
Wizen, G., and A. Gasith. 2011. “Predation of amphibians by carabid beetles of the genus Epomis found in the central coastal plain of Israel.” Zookeys 100: 181–191.
Wizen, G., and A. Gasith. 2011. “An unprecedented role reversal: Ground beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) lure amphibians and prey upon them.” PLoS One 6: 1–6.
Species of the Bi-Week:
Dias, I. R., C. F. B. Haddad, A. J. S. Argôlo, and V. G. D. Orrico. 2017. “The 100th: An appealing new species of Dendropsophus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from northeastern Brazil R. Castiglia.” PLoS One 12: e0171678.
Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:
Barkai A, McQuaid C (1988) Predator–prey role reversal in marine benthic ecosystems. Science 242: 62–64.
Beckmann, C, and R Shine. 2011. “Toad’s Tongue for Breakfast: Exploitation of a Novel Prey Type, the Invasive Cane Toad, by Scavenging Raptors in Tropical Australia.” Biological Invasions 13 (6): 1447–55.
Brodie Jr., ED. 1977. “Hedgehogs Use Toad Venom in Their Own Defence.” Nature 268 (5621): 627–28.
Choh, Y., Takabayashi, J., Sabelis, M. W., & Janssen, A. (2014). Witnessing predation can affect strength of counterattack in phytoseiids with ontogenetic predator–prey role reversal. Animal Behaviour, 93, 9-13.
Escoriza, D., L. Mestre, G. Pascual, and J. Buse. 2017. “First case of attack of an adult Bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803 by a carabid beetle larva of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid, 1812).” Bol. Asoc. Herpetol. Esp. 28: 2006–2008.
Petschenka, G, S Fandrich, N Sander, V Wagschal, M Boppré, and S Dobler. 2013. “Stepwise Evolution of Resistance to Toxic Cardenolides via Genetic Substitutions in the Na+/K+-ATPase of Milkweed Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Danaini).” Evolution 67 (9): 2753–61.
Scudder, GGE, and J Meredith. 1982. “The Permeability of the Midgut of Three Insects to Cardiac Glycosides.” Journal of Insect Physiology 28 (8): 689–94.
Ujvari, B, NR Casewell, K Sunagar, K Arbuckle, W Wüster, N Lo, D O’Meally, et al. 2015. “Widespread Convergence in Toxin Resistance by Predictable Molecular Evolution.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (38): 11911–11916.
Wilson, NJ, AN Stokes, GR Hopkins, ED Brodie, Jr., and CR Williams. 2014. “Functional and Physiological Resistance of Crayfish to Amphibian Toxins: Tetrodotoxin Resistance in the White River Crayfish (Procambarus Acutus).” Canadian Journal of Zoology 92 (11): 939–45.
Voyles, J, DC Woodhams, V Saenz, AQ Byrne, R Perez, G Rios-sotelo, MJ Ryan, et al. 2018. “Shifts in Disease Dynamics in a Tropical Amphibian Assemblage Are Not due to Pathogen Attenuation.” Science 359: 1517–19.
Other Links/Mentions:
Epomis circumscriptus attacking and preying upon Bufo viridis – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJ_CXJ0qPo
Epomis circumscriptus attacking and preying upon Hyla savignyi – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMkFb5n97cU
Trophic interactions between Epomis adults and Triturus vittatus – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA46dbEpluI
Videos from Wizen and Gasith 2011 PLoS One – http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025161
Photos from paper two: http://www.tau.ac.il/lifesci/departments/zoology/Amphibia/new.html
Rats vs toads: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukargs/permalink/2092225931007478/
Music:
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com
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