Predator–Prey Reunion: Non-native Coquí Frogs Avoid Their Native Predators

Abstract

When non-native species are introduced to new areas without their native predators, they may lose their ability to detect and avoid those predators, especially if the behaviors impose some sort of cost. Few studies have investigated whether non-native populations have lost the ability to avoid their native predators. Coquí frogs, which are endemic to Puerto Rico, were introduced to Hawaii in the late 1980s. Our goal was to investigate whether Coquís from Hawaii avoid predators from their native Puerto Rico. To test this, we collected frogs from both ranges and two arthropod predators from Puerto Rico (tailless whip scorpions and tarantulas). We determined experimentally whether frogs from Hawaii and Puerto Rico exhibited the same avoidance behaviors to these predators. We found that frogs from both ranges avoid attack by moving away from predators and that there was no difference in behaviors between the two ranges. Results suggest that, after nearly 20 generations, frogs from Hawaii have not lost their ability to detect and avoid native predators. The antipredator behaviors Coquís exhibit may help them avoid novel predators in their introduced range and may have contributed to their successful invasion.