NDLI: The impacts of a toxic invasive prey species (the cane toad, Rhinella marina) on a vulnerable predator (the lace monitor, Varanus varius)

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Jolly, Christopher J. Shine, Richard Greenlees, Matthew J.
Copyright Year	2016
Abstract	The magnitude of impact of an invasive species on native taxa, and the time course of recovery, depend on the native’s ability to adjust to the invader. Here, we examine the impact of a toxic invasive prey species (cane toad Rhinella marina) on a vulnerable top-predator (lace monitor Varanus varius) in southern Australia. Lace monitor populations crash as soon as toads invade, as occurs in related species in tropical Australia. The toad’s impact falls primarily on larger lizards, such that mean body sizes decline precipitously after toad arrival. Feeding trials with free-ranging lizards clarified the reasons for that size-biased vulnerability. Large lizards attacked novel prey more rapidly than did smaller conspecifics, especially in toad-naïve populations. Small lizards were more cautious in investigating novel prey (more tongue flicks and bites prior to ingestion) and swallowed the item more slowly. These traits may allow smaller lizards to detect and avoid toad toxins. Seventy percent of monitors from toad-naïve populations readily consumed dead cane toads (with parotoid glands removed) and 85 % consumed frogs. In contrast, no conspecifics from toad-exposed populations consumed toads whereas 40 % ate frogs. Following a single meal of toxic toad (typically eliciting illness), all monitors refused toads but 40 % continued to eat frogs. Lace monitors thus can rapidly learn taste aversion to cane toads. This behavioral plasticity enables survival of smaller lizards (that approach and process prey more cautiously than their larger relatives), and may explain this species’ recovery in long-term toad-colonized regions of northern Australia.
Starting Page	1499
Ending Page	1509
Page Count	11
File Format	PDF
ISSN	13873547
Journal	Biological Invasions
Volume Number	18
Issue Number	5
e-ISSN	15731464
Language	English
Publisher	Springer International Publishing
Publisher Date	2016-03-10
Publisher Place	Cham
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Behavioral plasticity Bufo marinus Invasive species impact Taste aversion learning Varanidae Ecology Freshwater & Marine Ecology Plant Sciences Developmental Biology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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