title: The Homing Frog: High Homing Performance in a Territorial Dendrobatid FrogAllobates femoralis(Dendrobatidae).
abstract: Dendrobatidae (dart-poison frogs) exhibit some of the most complex spatial behaviors among amphibians, such as territoriality and tadpole transport from terrestrial clutches to widely distributed deposition sites. In species that exhibit long-term territoriality, high homing performance after tadpole transport can be assumed, but experimental evidence is lacking, and the underlying orientation mechanisms are unknown. We conducted a field translocation experiment to test whether maleAllobates femoralis, a dendrobatid frog with paternal extra-territorial tadpole transport, are capable of homing after experimental removal, as well as to quantify homing success and speed. Translocated individuals showed a very high homing success for distances up to 200 m and successfully returned from up to 400 m. We discuss the potential orientation mechanisms involved and selective forces that could have shaped this strong homing ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pašukonis
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria ; Department of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ringler
authors.affiliation: Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Hanja B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Brandl
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mangione
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria ; Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ringler
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hödl
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