Dataset Information

Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, Rhinella marina.

ABSTRACT: The behavioral, sensory, and neural bases of vertebrate navigation are primarily described in mammals and birds. However, we know much less about navigational abilities and mechanisms of vertebrates that move on smaller scales, such as amphibians. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted an extensive field study on navigation in the cane toad, Rhinella marina. First, we performed a translocation experiment to describe how invasive toads in Hawai'i navigate home following displacements of up to one kilometer. Next, we tested the effect of olfactory and magnetosensory manipulations on homing, as these senses are most commonly associated with amphibian navigation. We found that neither ablation alone prevents homing, suggesting that toad navigation is multimodal. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that the medial pallium, the amphibian homolog to the hippocampus, is involved in homing. By comparing neural activity across homing and non-homing toads, we found evidence supporting the involvement of the medial pallium, lateral pallium, and septum in navigation, suggesting a conservation of neural structures supporting navigation across vertebrates. Our study lays the foundation to understand the behavioral, sensory, and neural bases of navigation in amphibians and to further characterize the evolution of behavior and neural structures in vertebrates.

SUBMITTER: Shaykevich DA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11230440 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, <i>Rhinella marina</i>.

Shaykevich Daniel A DA Pareja-Mejía Daniela D Golde Chloe C Pašukonis Andrius A O'Connell Lauren A LA

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 20250108

The behavioral, sensory, and neural bases of vertebrate navigation are primarily described in mammals and birds. While many studies have explored amphibian navigation, none have characterized brain activity associated with navigation in the wild. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study on navigation in the cane toad, <i>Rhinella marina</i>. First, we performed a translocation experiment to describe how invasive cane toads in Hawai'i navigate home and observed homing following displac ...[more]

PMID: 38979178

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Project description:Cane toads are a notorious invasive species, inhabiting over 1.2 million km2 of Australia and threatening native biodiversity. The release of pathogenic cane toad viruses is one possible biocontrol strategy yet is currently hindered by the poorly described cane toad virome. Metatranscriptomic analysis of 16 cane toad livers revealed the presence of a novel and full-length picornavirus, Rhimavirus A (RhiV-A), a member of a reptile- and amphibian-specific cluster of the Picornaviridae basal to the Kobuvirus-like group. In the combined liver transcriptome, we also identified a complete genome sequence of a distinct epsilonretrovirus, Rhinella marina endogenous retrovirus (RMERV). The recently sequenced cane toad genome contains 8 complete RMERV proviruses as well as 21 additional truncated insertions. The oldest full-length RMERV provirus was estimated to have inserted 1.9 million years ago (MYA). To screen for these viral sequences in additional toads, we analyzed publicly available transcriptomes from six diverse Australian locations. RhiV-A transcripts were identified in toads sampled from three locations across 1,000 km of Australia, stretching to the current Western Australia (WA) invasion front, while RMERV transcripts were observed at all six sites. Finally, we scanned the cane toad genome for nonretroviral endogenous viral elements, finding three sequences related to small DNA viruses in the family Circoviridae This shows ancestral circoviral infection with subsequent genomic integration. The identification of these current and past viral infections enriches our knowledge of the cane toad virome, an understanding of which will facilitate future work on infection and disease in this important invasive species.IMPORTANCE Cane toads are poisonous amphibians that were introduced to Australia in 1935 for insect control. Since then, their population has increased dramatically, and they now threaten many native Australian species. One potential method to control the population is to release a cane toad virus with high mortality rates, yet few cane toad viruses have been characterized. This study samples cane toads from different Australian locations and uses an RNA sequencing and computational approach to find new viruses. We report novel complete picornavirus and retrovirus sequences that were genetically similar to viruses infecting frogs, reptiles, and fish. Using data generated in other studies, we show that these viral sequences are present in cane toads from distinct Australian locations. Three sequences related to circoviruses were also found in the toad genome. The identification of new viral sequences will aid future studies that investigate their prevalence and potential as agents for biocontrol.

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Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, Rhinella marina.

Publications

Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, <i>Rhinella marina</i>.

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Dataset Information

Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, Rhinella marina.

Publications

Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, &lt;i&gt;Rhinella marina&lt;/i&gt;.

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OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

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Neural and sensory basis of homing behavior in the invasive cane toad, <i>Rhinella marina</i>.