Modulation of Paternal Care Behaviors in Response to Stream Conditions by Eastern Hellbenders (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis</i>).

ABSTRACT: The rapid environmental changes associated with the Anthropocene mean that flexible behavioral responses may be a critical determinant of animals' resiliency to anthropogenic disturbance, particularly for species with long generation times and low vagility. One type of behavior that exemplifies this potentially important flexibility is parental care. Eggs and juvenile animals are sensitive to environmental stressors, and the ability of parents to adjust care behaviors to buffer their offspring from rapidly changing conditions may be critical to successful reproduction. In this study, we explore the role of parental care in buffering eggs from anthropogenic stressors in the long-lived, fully aquatic eastern hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis). Using cus

SUBMITTER: O'Brien RSM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11925150 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature