Absence of kin discrimination in cannibalistic Anuran tadpoles of the frog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin)

Amrapali P Rajput, Bhagyashri A Shanbhag, Srinivas K Saidapur
2011 Indian journal of experimental biology  
Kin discrimination was tested in the cannibalistic H. tigerinus tadpoles to know whether cannibalism is selectively directed towards non-kin members or it is indiscriminate. The association choice tests were conducted using satiated as well as starved subjects with the assumption that they will associate near non-sibs rather than near sibs with the intention of preferentially cannibalizing them. However, test tadpoles, fed or starved showed a random association choice with sibs and non-sibs, as
more » ... in the end-bias stimulus blank tests. Therefore it is suggested that cannibalistic H. tigerinus tadpoles do not discriminate sibs from non-sibs and cannibalize on both rather indiscriminately.
pmid:21615061 fatcat:3wtmkz4fszawfciw7yf6rcy6em