An Adaptive Advantage of Basking Behavior in an Anuran Amphibian

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Abstract
It was postulated that basking behavior in Hyla cinerea increased digestive rate and resulted in an increased growth rate for basking individuals. Laboratory experiments showed that increased body temperature resulted in an increased digestive rate and was associated with greater feeding rates. The results indicated that total growth (mass and length) was greater in basking than in nonbasking juvenile frogs, but there was no difference in growth conversion efficiencies between these two groups. No significant difference existed in growth rates or growth conversion efficiencies between basking and nonbasking adults. Regardless of sex or size, frogs basked in an all-or-none fashion. Initiation of basking behavior was random and was not associated with either feeding, ambient relative humidity, or availability of standing water. The conclusions drawn are that (1) the occurrence of basking in tree frogs is random, (2) basking increases growth rates, and (3) growth may not be the only advantage derived from basking.