Tadpoles also eat cannibalism when food is scarce

A new study shows that, although a gentle animal, when food and tadpoles are scarce, they will eat their fellow animals.

>>>Tadpole is as big as a chicken egg

Many frogs, lizards and other reptiles also tend to eat each other to some extent, especially when food sources are scarce. However, the fact that they prefer this diet or are forced to choose is not clearly explained in some cases.

Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) wonder if cannibalism is the most nutritious option for tadpoles? In theory, the answer is yes because this will provide the right amount of nutrients and vitamins to meet biological needs.

Tadpoles also eat cannibalism.(Source: livescience.com)

'In theory, any species of a species can be an ideal meal because there is enough nutrients for growth to be considered appropriate ,' said Dale Jefferson, co-author. of Live Science's interview study.

To better know whether tadpoles prefer more meat than other food sources, the research team conducted a series of experiments. They feed tadpoles to eat a variety of foods such as frozen saltwater shrimp, corn, tadpole or starve them.

They found tadpoles only eating cannibalism when they were hungry, and when there was fierce competition for food with other tadpoles. In other cases, they will choose other foods.

This cannibalism also causes many losses. Individuals of a species can fight against each other and injure each other, as well as adversely affect evolution due to limited genetic resources stemming from the consumption of relatives.

The ability to transmit pathogens is also increased because individuals of the same species are more susceptible to the same disease, while those with distant relatives do not often encounter this problem.

Jefferson said the study is timely because research ponds in Canada are running out in recent years due to climate change. Future climatic influences will likely continue to drain pond water and make tadpole density increase, leading to housing disputes. This will increase their rate of cannibalism as well as the spread of pathogens.