Proximate mechanisms of costly developmental plasticity in invasive cane toads Data and R Script

Hatchlings of invasive cane toads (<i>Rhinella marina</i>) in Australia respond facultatively to chemical cues of non-feeding cannibalistic conspecific tadpoles by accelerating development, but as a consequence experience reduced growth, development and survival in the subsequent tadpole stage. This response to perceived predation risk (developmental acceleration of embryos) is rare among amphibians, and for cane toads, has several unknown aspects. We conducted a series of laboratory experiments to investigate (1) is the cue that induces developmental acceleration of hatchlings located in the skin of cane toad tadpoles, (2) are the carry-over costs due to accelerated embryonic development <i>per se</i> or are they specific to developmental acceleration induced by conspecific tadpole cues, and (3) can the costs of this developmental plasticity be mitigated by availability of food resources at critical times during early development.