Which statement describes mating behavior of Doris Swanson's poison dart frog?

Which statement describes mating behavior of Doris Swanson's poison dart frog?

• A. The male leads in mating by building a nest.
• B. The female leads in mating by patting the male on the back with her hind feet.
• C. Mating occurs only in water.
• D. The pair mates randomly with no lead.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how courtship cues initiate mating in this frog species. In Doris Swanson's poison dart frog, the female actively guides the encounter by using tactile signals to prompt the male. When she pats the male on the back with her hind feet, she signals readiness and helps trigger the male to engage in the mating behavior (amplexus) at the right moment. This kind of female-led cue ensures coordination between partners and fits with the frog’s reproductive habits, where courtship involves direct contact and signaling rather than a nest-building role by the male or exclusive mating in water. Clues like the absence of nest-building behavior, the fact that many poison dart frogs don’t require water for fertilization, and the presence of directed courtship cues all support this choice. The other options describe scenarios (male-led nest-building, mating only in water, random pairing with no lead) that don’t align with the described courtship pattern.

The main idea here is how courtship cues initiate mating in this frog species. In Doris Swanson's poison dart frog, the female actively guides the encounter by using tactile signals to prompt the male. When she pats the male on the back with her hind feet, she signals readiness and helps trigger the male to engage in the mating behavior (amplexus) at the right moment. This kind of female-led cue ensures coordination between partners and fits with the frog’s reproductive habits, where courtship involves direct contact and signaling rather than a nest-building role by the male or exclusive mating in water.

Clues like the absence of nest-building behavior, the fact that many poison dart frogs don’t require water for fertilization, and the presence of directed courtship cues all support this choice. The other options describe scenarios (male-led nest-building, mating only in water, random pairing with no lead) that don’t align with the described courtship pattern.