Vortex Formation and Foraging in Polyphenic Spadefoot Toad Tadpoles.

ABSTRACT: Animal aggregations are widespread in nature and can exhibit complex emergent properties not found at an individual level. We investigate one such example here, collective vortex formation by congeneric spadefoot toad tadpoles: Spea bombifrons and S. multiplicata. Tadpoles of these species develop into either an omnivorous or a carnivorous (cannibalistic) morph depending on diet. Previous studies show S. multiplicata are more likely to develop into omnivores and feed on suspended organic matter in the water body. The omnivorous morph is frequently social, forming aggregates that move and forage together, and form vortices in which they adopt a distinctive slowly-rotating circular formation. This behaviour has been speculated to act as a means to agitate the substratum in ponds and thus cou

SUBMITTER: Bazazi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3504937 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature