The Effect of Group Size on the Activity of Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) Tadpoles

For many organisms, group size can help determine perceptions of predation risk and influence the behavior of individuals in the presence or absence of predators or predator cues. We examined the role of group size in determining the behavior of leopard frog (Rana pipiens) tadpoles. The activity level of leopard frog tadpoles was generally higher when they were in groups of eight than when alone or in pairs. Groups size did not affect the use of the vegetated habitat in leopard frog tadpoles. Our results indicate that group size can influence the behavior of leopard frog tadpoles, even in the absence of predator cues.