Eat your heart out: choice and handling of novel toxic prey by predatory water rats
Marissa L. Parrott A E , J. Sean Doody B C , Colin McHenry C and Simon Clulow C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.
B Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida – St Petersburg, St Petersburg, FL 33705, USA.
C School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
D Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: mparrot@zoo.org.au
Australian Mammalogy 42(2) 235-239 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM19016
Submitted: 5 March 2019 Accepted: 27 August 2019 Published: 23 September 2019
Abstract
We investigated predator–prey interactions between cane toads (Rhinella marina) and native water rats (Hydromys chrysogaster), where toads are novel prey. We show that wild water rats preferentially targeted larger toads, and consumed specific non-toxic organs only. Rats either rapidly learned these behaviours, or adapted them from hunting native frogs.
Additional keywords: ancestral behavioural repertoire, heart, invasion, lethal toxic ingestion, liver, muscle, organ targeting, rapid learning
References
Beckmann, C., and Shine, R. (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, 1447–1455.| Toad’s tongue for breakfast: exploitation of a novel prey type, the invasive cane toad, by scavenging raptors in tropical Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brown, C. (2012). Experience and learning in changing environments. In ‘Behavioural Responses to a Changing World; Mechanisms and Consequences’. (Eds U. Candolin, and B. Wong.) pp. 46–62. (Oxford University Press: Oxford.)
Brown, G. P., Phillips, B. L., and Shine, R. (2014). The straight and narrow path: the evolution of straight-line dispersal at a cane-toad invasion front. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 281, 1385.
| The straight and narrow path: the evolution of straight-line dispersal at a cane-toad invasion front.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cabrera-Guzmán, E., Crossland, M. R., Pearson, D., Webb, J. K., and Shine, R. (2015). Predation on invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) by native Australian rodents. Journal of Pest Science 88, 143–153.
| Predation on invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) by native Australian rodents.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cassels, A. J. (1966). Disembowelled toads near water. North Queensland Naturalist 34, 6.
Clulow, S., and Swan, M. (2018). ‘A Complete Guide to Frogs of Australia.’ (Australian Geographic: Sydney.)
Covacevich, J., and Archer, M. (1975). The distribution of the cane toad Bufo marinus in Australia and its effects on indigenous vertebrates. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 17, 305–310.
Doody, J. S., Green, B., Rhind, D., Castellano, C. M., Sims, R., and Robinson, T. (2009). Population-level declines in Australian predators caused by an invasive species. Animal Conservation 12, 46–53.
| Population-level declines in Australian predators caused by an invasive species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doody, J. S., Mayes, P., Clulow, S., Rhind, D., Green, B., Castellano, C. M., D’Amore, D., and Mchenry, C. (2014). Impacts of the invasive cane toad on aquatic reptiles in a highly modified ecosystem: the importance of replicating impact studies. Biological Invasions 16, 2303–2309.
| Impacts of the invasive cane toad on aquatic reptiles in a highly modified ecosystem: the importance of replicating impact studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doody, J. S., Soanes, R., Castellano, C. M., Rhind, D., Green, B., McHenry, C. R., and Clulow, S. (2015). Invasive toads shift predator–prey densities in animal communities by removing top predators. Ecology 96, 2544–2554.
| Invasive toads shift predator–prey densities in animal communities by removing top predators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26594710PubMed |
Doody, J. S., Rhind, D., Green, B., Castellano, C., McHenry, C., and Clulow, S. (2017). Chronic effects of an invasive species on an animal community. Ecology 98, 2093–2101.
| Chronic effects of an invasive species on an animal community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28477376PubMed |
Forsyth, R. (2000). Black kites and cane toads in Queensland. Boobook 20, 17.
Glendinning, J. I. (2007). How do predators cope with chemically defended foods? The Biological Bulletin 213, 252–266.
| How do predators cope with chemically defended foods?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 18083965PubMed |
Greenberg, R., and Mettke-Hofmann, C. (2001). Ecological aspects of neophobia and neophilia in birds. Current Ornithology 16, 119–178.
Greggor, A. L., McIvor, G. E., Clayton, N. S., and Thornton, A. (2016). Contagious risk taking: social information and context influence wild jackdaws’ responses to novelty and risk. Scientific Reports 6, 27764.
| Contagious risk taking: social information and context influence wild jackdaws’ responses to novelty and risk.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27282438PubMed |
Kämper, W., Webb, J. K., Crowther, M. S., Greenlees, M. J., and Shine, R. (2013). Behaviour and survivorship of a dasyurid predator (Antechinus flavipes) in response to encounters with the toxic and invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina). Australian Mammalogy 35, 136–143.
| Behaviour and survivorship of a dasyurid predator (Antechinus flavipes) in response to encounters with the toxic and invasive cane toad (Rhinella marina).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Letnic, M., Webb, J. K., and Shine, R. (2008). Invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) cause mass mortality of freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) in tropical Australia. Biological Conservation 141, 1773–1782.
| Invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) cause mass mortality of freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) in tropical Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lever, C. (2001). ‘The Cane Toad. The History and Ecology of a Successful Colonist.’ (Westbury Scientific Publishing: Otley, West Yorkshire.)
Llewelyn, J., Phillips, B. L., Brown, G. P., Schwarzkopf, L., Alford, R. A., and Shine, R. (2011). Adaptation or preadaptation: why are keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii) less vulnerable to invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) than are other Australian snakes? Evolutionary Ecology 25, 13–24.
| Adaptation or preadaptation: why are keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii) less vulnerable to invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) than are other Australian snakes?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mitchell, D., Jones, A., and Hero, J. M. (1995). Predation on the cane toad (Bufo marinus) by the black kite (Milvus nigrans). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 38, 512.
Olsen, P. D. (2008). Water rat Hydromys chrysogaster (Geoffroy 1804). In ‘The Complete Book of Australian Mammals’. (Eds S. Van Dyck, and R. Strahan.) pp. 662–664. (Reed Books: Sydney.)
Shine, R. (2010). The ecological impact of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) in Australia. The Quarterly Review of Biology 85, 253–291.
| The ecological impact of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20919631PubMed |
Speight, K. N., Kokkinn, M. J., and Breed, W. G. (2016). The gastrointestinal tract of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) – its morphological adaptations to a carnivorous diet. Australian Mammalogy 38, 52–57.
| The gastrointestinal tract of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) – its morphological adaptations to a carnivorous diet.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
St Cloud, S. F. (1966). Observation by J. James at Tinaroo Creek. North Queensland Naturalist 34, 6.
Urban, M. C., Phillips, B. L., Skelly, D. K., and Shine, R. (2007). The cane toad’s (Chaunus marinus) increasing ability to invade Australia is revealed by a dynamically updated range model. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 274, 1413–1419.
| The cane toad’s (Chaunus marinus) increasing ability to invade Australia is revealed by a dynamically updated range model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Webb, J. K., Brown, G. P., Child, T., Greenlees, M. J., Phillips, B. L., and Shine, R. (2008). A native dasyurid predator (common planigale, Planigale maculata) rapidly learns to avoid a toxic invader. Austral Ecology 33, 821–829.
| A native dasyurid predator (common planigale, Planigale maculata) rapidly learns to avoid a toxic invader.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Webb, J. K., Pearson, D., and Shine, R. (2011). A small dasyurid predator (Sminthopsis virginiae) rapidly learns to avoid a toxic invader. Wildlife Research 38, 726–731.
| A small dasyurid predator (Sminthopsis virginiae) rapidly learns to avoid a toxic invader.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Woinarski, J. C. Z., Armstrong, M., Brennan, K., Fisher, A., Griffiths, A. D., Hill, B., Milne, D. J., Palmer, C., Ward, S., Watson, M., Winderlich, S., and Young, S. (2010). Monitoring indicates rapid and severe decline of native small mammals in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia. Wildlife Research 37, 116–126.
| Monitoring indicates rapid and severe decline of native small mammals in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wren, J. (2000). Brahminy kites and cane toads (Queensland). Boobook 20, 19.
