Cane toads are one of the most destructive invasive species in Australia, but it is not just native animals that they harm. Michael Crossland and Richard Shine at the University of Sydney have found that the Rhinella marina tadpoles can cripple each other by releasing certain chemicals.

The duo placed cane-toad eggs in water with tadpoles of the same species. The tadpoles that grew from the eggs had a 41% lower body mass than those grown in 'clean' water. As they developed into toads, they had a 40% lower survival rate than unexposed tadpoles.

Native amphibians are not known to respond to cane-toad pheromones, so they will probably not be affected by the chemical cues that impede development, the authors say. These chemicals could thus be used to control toad populations.

Biol. Lett. 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0794 (2011)