Importance of predator diet cues in responses of larval wood frogs to fishand invertebrate predators

We examined the effects of predator diet on the antipredator responses of l arval woodfrogs (Rana sylvatica). We found that tadpoles showed stronger re sponses to fish (Perca flavescens) that were fed tadpoles than those fed in vertebrates. Similarly, we found that tadpoles responded more strongly to l arval dragonflies (Anax spp.) fed tadpoles than to dragonflies fed inverteb rates. The overall intensity of response of tadpoles to fish was much stron ger than that to dragonflies. Predator diet effects are not ubiquitous in p redator-prey systems. We discuss possible reasons why predator diet effects are seen in some, but not all, predator-prey systems.