Data from: Methods for invasive species control are transferable across invaded areas

Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) are invasive pests in many parts of the world, including the Japanese island of Ishigaki. Extensive research in Australia has identified promising new methods for control, but also has shown that toads exhibit geographic variation in many traits (suggesting that methods developed in one location may not work in another). Can the approaches developed in Australia play a useful role for controlling this invasive species in Japan? Our experimental trials on Ishigaki Island suggest that these new methods can be successfully applied to Japan. First, Cane Toad embryos exposed to chemical cues of conspecific tadpoles exhibited a reduction in viability (subsequent growth and development). This response appears to be species-specific, with native frog embryos not being affected by exposure to cues from toad tadpoles, and Cane Toad embryos not being affected by exposure to cues from native frog tadpoles. Second, Cane Toad tadpoles were attracted to traps containing water from conspecific eggs, and toxin from adult conspecifics. Third, adult Cane Toads were attracted to acoustic cues of calling males, with sex differences in rates of attraction to specific versions of a synthetic call (males were attracted to choruses whereas females were attracted to low-frequency calls). Our results suggest that the methods developed by Australian researchers are applicable to controlling invasive Cane Toads in Japan.海蟾蜍（Cane Toad, Rhinella marina）是全球诸多区域的入侵性有害物种，日本石垣岛亦受其侵扰。澳大利亚的大量研究已开发出颇具应用前景的新型防控手段，但同时也揭示出海蟾蜍在诸多性状上存在地理变异——这意味着在某一地区研发的防控方法或许无法直接适配其他区域的种群管控需求。那么，澳大利亚开发的防控策略能否有效应用于日本境内的入侵海蟾蜍防控工作呢？我们在石垣岛开展的试验研究表明，这类新型防控方法可成功落地日本的海蟾蜍管控实践。其一，暴露于同种蝌蚪化学信号的海蟾蜍胚胎，其生存活力（后续生长与发育状态）显著降低。该反应呈现出物种特异性：本土蛙类胚胎暴露于海蟾蜍蝌蚪的信号后未受影响，海蟾蜍胚胎暴露于本土蛙类蝌蚪的信号后同样未出现异常反应。其二，海蟾蜍蝌蚪会被含有同种卵粒浸出液以及成年同种个体毒素的诱捕装置所吸引。其三，成年海蟾蜍会被雄性求偶的声学信号所吸引，且对不同合成呼叫版本的吸引速率存在显著性别差异：雄性偏好合唱鸣声，而雌性则对低频呼叫表现出更强的趋向性。本研究结果证实，澳大利亚科研人员开发的防控方法，可有效应用于日本入侵海蟾蜍的种群管控工作。