Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Publication Date

Spring 2024

College

Sciences and Mathematics, College of

Department

Biology, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Chase Kinsey

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Abstract

As ectotherms, frog behavior and performance are highly correlated with temperature. Temperature is particularly critical when performing high speed escape behavior where failure could mean capture by a predator. One rare example of escape behavior is porpoising, where a frog exits the water by swimming at an incredibly high speed using force drag to push off the water. This study tests the porpoising ability of X. laevis and whether this ability changes with acclimation to temperatures near the frogs’ critical thermal limits. We hypothesize that X. laevis will porpoise and that they will porpoise more often at higher water temperatures and less often at colder temperatures. The frogs were acclimated to the performance trial temperature for roughly 24 hours before being placed, one at a time, into a small tank situated within a larger tank. Each frog was chased with a net to encourage escape into the larger tank, and their porpoise ability or failure was captured on video and analyzed using MatLab. Our results demonstrate that X. laevis is capable of porpoising and that its porpoising ability is affected by changes in temperature; therefore, we fail to reject our hypotheses. Because X. laevis are an invasive species in many areas around the world, the effect of temperature extremes on their porpoising ability could impact their chances of spreading and thriving in new habitats.

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