Predator metamorphosis and its consequence for prey risk assessment

Living with a diverse array of predators provides a significant challenge for prey to learn and retain information about each predator they encounter. Consequently, some prey respond to novel predators because they have previous experience with a perceptually similar predator species, a phenomenon known as generalization of predator recognition. However, it remains unknown whether prey can generalize learned responses across ontogenetic stages of predators. Using wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpole prey we conducted two experiments to explore the extent of predator generalization of different life stages of two different predators: (1) predacious diving beetles (Dytiscus sp.) and (2) tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium). In both experiments, we used chemical alarm cues (i.e., injured conspecific cues) to condition tadpoles to recognize the odor of either the larval or adult stage of the predator as risky. One day later, we tested tadpoles with either the larval or adult predato..., , , # Predator metamorphosis and its consequence for prey risk assessment

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.prr4xgxtr](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.prr4xgxtr)

Data provided here show the difference in antipredator response of wood frog tadpoles when tested with different ontogenetic stages of diving beetles and adult salamanders. Tadpoles learned to recognize both adult and larval beetles as risky after being conditioned to recognize one stage or the other. When conditioned to learn either larval or adult salamanders as risky, tadpoles showed antipredator response to only that life stage.

## Description of the data and file structure

The file has two sheets. The first sheet is for experiment 1, where we evaluated beetle odor generalization between two ontogenetic stages by tadpoles. The second sheet is for experiment 2, where we evaluated salamander odor generalization between two ontogenetic stages by tadpoles.

You will find similar columns in both of the sheets.\
The columns are as fol...