Emily Chan
The researchers think this cannibalism emerged as a process of natural selection. The quality of a male’s mating call is what determines whether he will be a potential mate or prey.
To the female frogs, larger males with deeper calls are viewed as better breeding partners, and the smaller males as snacks.
However, larger males may not be entirely safe from predation either. Once females have dumped out all their eggs, they might eat their mates.
“It’s risky for male frogs out there. They’re calling their little hearts out to find a mate, but they just have to take on this extra risk of maybe being used as prey,” said Gould.
More research is needed to investigate how frequently these cannibalistic events occur and how they impact green and golden bell frog populations.
The study was published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
