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1
Smith, Lora L., Jennifer M. Howze, Jennifer S. Staiger, Eric R. Sievers, Deborah Burr, and Kevin M. Enge. "Added Value: Gopher Tortoise Surveys Provide Estimates of Gopher Frog Abundance in Tortoise Burrows." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 12, no. 1 (October 27, 2020): 3–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/jfwm-20-030.
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Abstract The gopher frog Lithobates capito is one of the most terrestrial frogs in the southeastern United States and often inhabits gopher tortoise burrows Gopherus polyphemus outside of the breeding season. Gopher frog populations have declined, and the species is under review for listing as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Much of our knowledge on the status of gopher frogs is based on detections of larvae at breeding wetlands, which can be challenging because of environmental variability and provides no information on the terrestrial life stages of the species. Therefore, an alternative method is called for. We recorded observations of gopher frogs during gopher tortoise surveys at four conservation lands in Florida and used line-transect distance sampling to estimate frog abundance. We also recorded burrow size, incidence of frog co-occupancy with tortoises, and distance from frog-occupied burrows to breeding wetlands. We observed 274 gopher frogs in 1,097 tortoise burrows at the four sites. The proportion of burrows occupied by gopher frogs among sites ranged from 0.17 to 0.25. Gopher frog abundance in tortoise burrows was 742 (512–1,076 95% CL) at Etoniah Creek State Forest, 465 (352–615) at Ft. White Wildlife Environmental Area, 411 (283–595) at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, and 134 (97–186) at Watermelon Pond Wildlife Environmental Area. We observed up to four frogs in a single burrow. The proportion of frogs detected in burrows occupied by a gopher tortoise ranged from 0.46 to 0.79 among sites, and overall, gopher frogs preferred burrows occupied by tortoises over unoccupied burrows (χ2 = 15.875; df = 3; P = 0.001). Gopher frogs used burrows from 7 to 43 cm in width; mean width of frog-occupied burrows did not differ from that of unoccupied burrows (F1,3 = 0.049, P = 0.825). Distance from frog-occupied tortoise burrows to the nearest breeding wetland ranged from 141 to 3,402 m. Our data on gopher frogs collected in conjunction with gopher tortoise monitoring efforts using line-transect distance sampling and burrow cameras provided novel information on frog abundance in their terrestrial habitat and required no additional effort. However, the extent to which frogs use tortoise burrows relative to other available refuges (small mammal burrows, stumps, or other structures) is unknown; thus, our estimates should be considered conservative. We suggest that terrestrial abundance estimates for gopher frogs can complement efforts to monitor breeding activity to provide a more comprehensive means of monitoring population trends in this cryptic species.
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Gordon, Noah. "The effect of supplemental feeding on the territorial behavior of the green frog (Rana clamitans)." Amphibia-Reptilia 25, no. 1 (2004): 55–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853804322992832.
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AbstractThe green frog, Rana clamitans, exhibits a resource defense mating strategy whereby males advertise for mates and defend territories along the shoreline of breeding ponds for periods up to several weeks. Because male green frogs may be energy-limited during the breeding season, I tested the predictions that males provided with extra food would 1) have longer tenures on territories, 2) show reduced movement between territories (due to greater site specificity), and 3) expend more energy in calling and territory defense. I tested these predictions by supplementally feeding frogs and by conducting regular surveys of frog location and behavior over the course of the breeding season in a fenced-in pond. My results support the second prediction but do not support the first and third predictions. Supplementally-fed male green frogs moved less than half the distance of sham-fed males. Green frog males reduce foraging but do not increase activities associated with aggression and territorial defense when food resources are more abundant.
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Gillespie, Graeme R., David Lockie, Michael P. Scroggie, and Djoko T. Iskandar. "Habitat use by stream-breeding frogs in south-east Sulawesi, with some preliminary observations on community organization." Journal of Tropical Ecology 20, no. 4 (July 2004): 439–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467404001361.
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The habitat associations of stream-breeding frogs were examined along a series of stream transects on Buton Island in south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia. Of the eight frog species located along streams, four were observed breeding in stream habitats. We examined spatial habitat partitioning among these species. Three of the four species were found to be associated with a non-random selection of the available perch sites. Strong partitioning between species in habitat associations was found; partitioning of the available habitat space was primarily associated with differences in proximity to stream features, and in the height of perch sites. General observations indicated that oviposition sites of most species were associated with the microhabitats in which the adult frogs were found. All four stream-breeding species appear to have synchronous breeding phenologies and the spatial relationships of these species within the habitat space appear to reflect partitioning of calling sites and oviposition sites. The stream-breeding frog community in this region of Sulawesi has much lower species richness and less specialized habitat use compared with other tropical stream-breeding frog communities in the region.
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Matich, Philip, and Christopher M. Schalk. "Move it or lose it: interspecific variation in risk response of pond-breeding anurans." PeerJ 7 (June 7, 2019): e6956. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6956.
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Changes in behavior are often the proximate response of animals to human disturbance, with variability in tolerance levels leading some species to exhibit striking shifts in life history, fitness, and/or survival. Thus, elucidating the effects of disturbance on animal behavior, and how this varies among taxonomically similar species with inherently different behaviors and life histories is of value for management and conservation. We evaluated the risk response of three anuran species—southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), and green tree frog (Hyla cinerea)—to determine how differences in microhabitat use (arboreal vs ground-dwelling) and body size (small vs medium) may play a role in response to a potential threat within a human-altered subtropical forest. Each species responded to risk with both flight and freeze behaviors, however, behaviors were species- and context-specific. As distance to cover increased, southern leopard frogs increased freezing behavior, green tree frogs decreased freezing behavior, and Blanchard’s cricket frogs increased flight response. The propensity of green tree frogs to use the canopy of vegetation as refugia, and the small body size of Blanchard’s cricket frogs likely led to greater flight response as distance to cover increased, whereas innate reliance on camouflage among southern leopard frogs may place them at greater risk to landscaping, agricultural, and transportation practices in open terrain. As such, arboreal and small-bodied species may inherently be better suited in human altered-landscapes compared to larger, ground-dwelling species. As land-use change continues to modify habitats, understanding how species respond to changes in their environment continues to be of importance, particularly in ecosystems where human-wildlife interactions are expected to increase in frequency.
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Degani, Gad. "Life Cycle of Tree Frogs (Hyla savygnyi) in Semi-Arid Habitats in Northern Israel." International Journal of Biology 8, no. 1 (October 28, 2015): 17. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijb.v8n1p17.
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The life cycle of tree frogs (Hyla savygnyi) in localities of various habitats in northern Israel in the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights (annual rainfall range of 500-1,000 mm) and the Hula Valley, ranging from 212 to 740 m above sea level (ASL), was studied. Tree frogs were observed around winter rain pools, springs and streams. Fifty-one different breeding places were monitored. Only ponds and springs having stable non-flowing water are used by tree frogs for reproduction and are where larvae can metamorphose. The male call in the breeding places attracts the female, who then comes to the male, and breeding occurs underwater. Breeding time in Israel varies according to location and geographical and ecological conditions. It takes place in March-April in northern Israel, the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights and the Hula Valley. In various breeding places, larvae grow between April and June. Apparently tree frog larvae adapt to breeding places where stable water is found, such as in ponds or springs, but not to breeding places with flowing water such as streams or rivers. Various Anuran and Urodela larvae were found in the same breeding sites where the larvae of H. savygnyi were found, including Pseudepidalea Viridis, Rana bedriagae, Pelobates syriacus, Salamandra infraimmaculata and Triturs vittatus. Following metamorphosis, H. savygnyi adapt to terrestrial life in semi-arid habitats, and is found on plants or in hiding places under rocks and in holes to prevent dehydration particularly during hot and dry weather. The ability to change color helped the frogs to hide in various substrates. The rate of water loss of terrestrial H. savygnyi during dehydration is around 50% of body weight. Plasma osmolality increased from 200 mOsm/kg to about 450 mOsm/kg, which helped the tree frog to survive in semi-arid habitats.
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Dare, O. K., and M. R. Forbes. "Patterns of trematode and nematode lungworm infections in northern leopard frogs and wood frogs from Ontario, Canada." Journal of Helminthology 83, no. 4 (March 26, 2009): 339–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022149x09243495.
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AbstractIn this study we examined trematode and nematode lung helminths commonly found in two species of host ranid frogs for competitive interactions. We examined 147 adult (breeding and non-breeding) and juvenile northern leopard frogs, and 84 breeding male wood frogs in Bishops Mills, Ontario for Haematoloechus spp. (Trematoda) and Rhabdias sp. (Nematoda) infections. A strong negative association between phyla of helminth was observed in breeding and juvenile northern leopard frogs, and also in breeding wood frogs, but not in non-breeding adult northern leopard frogs. Few hosts carried both types of worm concurrently. Thirteen northern leopard frogs carried dual infections, while 77 carried only one phylum of helminth. Twenty-seven wood frogs carried dual infections, while 54 carried only one phylum of helminth. We also observed spatial segregation of the two phyla in host lungs. Our study informs future research on the dynamics of interactions among lung helminths in these two host species.
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Şereflişan, Hülya, and Ahmet Alkaya. "Türkiye’de Eti Yenilebilen Kurbağaların (Ranidae) Biyolojisi, Ekonomisi, Avcılığı ve İhracatına Yönelik Yasal Mevzuatı." Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology 4, no. 7 (July 15, 2016): 600. http://dx.doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v4i7.600-604.654.
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The frogs production is done on the basis of fully hunting, an important export product in Turkey. The frogs are almost no domestic consumption. The frogs are exported to France, Italy, Switzerland, Lebanon, Greece and Spain by five companies a processed form as live frog, frozen frog legs and chilled frog legs. In Turkey, some regulations related to hunting frogs and exports are prepared by under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs General Directorate of Protection and Control. The hunting frogs is banned by 3/1 the Commercial Fisheries regulating the hunting notification. These prohibitions are designed to be different for each province. The provinces are permitted for frogs hunting by the legislation in Adana, Afyonkarahisar, Balıkesir, Bingöl, Bursa, Edirne, Bursa, Istanbul and Yalova. Frogs were exported in different amounts (kg) with different price in every year during the last ten years. The highest amounts of the frogs with the lowest of price were exported in 2013. Prey weight is shrinking due to overfishing. In this case, the price of export materials has got significantly negative effects. As a result, the ban on hunting and restrictive measures for protection should be taken seriously in some of the provinces. Hunting ban is absolutely necessary in Turkey. In many countries including Turkey, in order to ensure sustainability, it is important to do the frog breeding.
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Iwai, Noriko. "Relationship between chorusing activity and number of oviposition events in the Otton frog." Animal Biology 68, no. 1 (2018): 105–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15707563-17000143.
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Abstract Call surveys are an effective technique for detecting the presence and activity of breeding male frogs. Such surveys have been used to quantify breeding activity at a site under the assumption that male chorusing activity appropriately reflects breeding consequences, such as the number of oviposition events. However, only a few studies have actually examined the relationship between chorusing activity and breeding consequences in the field. In this study, I examined the relationship between chorusing activity (the number of male calls recorded during a five-minute period every night) and the number of oviposition events (number of oviposited egg masses during the night) of the Otton frog, Babina subaspera, with regard to the time lag between calls and oviposition. I constructed nine generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to explain the number of oviposition events by chorusing activity on the same night and on nights 1 to 7 days before the oviposition events. The Akaike information criterion (AiC) of the GLMM was lowest when the number of calls from nights 2 days before the oviposition events was used, indicating that breeding consequences in Otton frogs reflect the chorusing activity of 2 days prior. This study shows that frog call surveys can be reliable tools with which to represent breeding activity at a site as long as the time lag between chorusing activity and breeding consequences is considered.
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Pilliod, David S., Charles R. Peterson, and Peter I. Ritson. "Seasonal migration of Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) among complementary resources in a high mountain basin." Canadian Journal of Zoology 80, no. 11 (November 1, 2002): 1849–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z02-175.
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Information on how animals partition their activities and travel among complementary resources, such as breeding or overwintering habitats, is needed for species conservation. In a mountain basin at 2500 m elevation in central Idaho, we studied the habitat use and movement patterns of 736 marked and 87 radio-tagged Columbia spotted frogs (Rana luteiventris) from 1995 to 1998. The goals of this study were to (i) identify and characterize R. luteiventris breeding, summer foraging, and overwintering habitats, (ii) describe the movement patterns of juvenile, male, and female R. luteiventris among these resources, and (iii) determine migration routes. Juvenile and adult R. luteiventris occupied a variety of widely distributed wetlands from late June to September. On average, 132% of juvenile, 611% of male, and 1651% of female frogs moved from breeding ponds to summer habitats. Migratory males remained within 200 m of the breeding sites, whereas females traveled up to 1030 m to reach summer habitats. From late August through September, frogs migrated to deep (>3 m) lakes to overwinter. Frog migrations occurred quickly and often followed shortest-distance travel routes through dry, open forest even when stream corridors were available nearby. This study exemplifies the need to protect both complementary resources and the corridors connecting these anuran habitats.
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Seburn, David C., and Kari Gunson. "Has the Western Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata) Declined in Western Ottawa, Ontario?" Canadian Field-Naturalist 125, no. 3 (July 1, 2011): 220. http://dx.doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v125i3.1224.
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To determine whether the Western Chorus Frog has declined in western Ottawa, we conducted auditory surveys at historical locations as well as at various other wetlands. Western Chorus Frogs were detected at 12 of 18 historical locations. Wetland habitat remained at all historical locations where the species was not detected. There was no difference in the year of historical records for sites where Western Chorus Frogs were (median 1987.5) and were not (median 1987.5) detected. In the present study, Western Chorus Frogs were also detected at 30 locations where they had not been previously reported. Historical sites where Western Chorus Frogs were not detected were not significantly farther away from known Western Chorus Frog sites (median distance: 2.2 km) than historical sites where Western Chorus Frogs were detected (median distance: 1.4 km). Land use variables for historical sites where Western Chorus Frogs were and were not detected did not vary significantly at any spatial scale from 0.5 to 2.0 km. Western Chorus Frogs were detected in areas with up to 50% forest cover and up to 86% agricultural cover at the 1.0-km radius. The lack of historical data makes it difficult to assess the current status of the Western Chorus Frog in western Ottawa. The species may have declined, remained approximately the same (by shifting to different breeding sites), or even increased its distribution (by colonizing additional sites).
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Lundberg, Per, and Johan Elmberg. "Navigation in breeding-migrating common frogs Rana temporaria: a simple translocation experiment." Amphibia-Reptilia 9, no. 2 (1988): 169–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853888x00567.
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AbstractThe breeding migration of common frogs was studied during one spring. Frogs displaced during migration navigated successfully towards their breeding pond. Solar and visual cues seemed most important to successful navigation.
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Baker, B. J., and J. M. L. Richardson. "The effect of artificial light on male breeding-season behaviour in green frogs, Rana clamitans melanota." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 10 (October 2006): 1528–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-142.
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Artificial night lighting (or ecological light pollution) is only now gaining attention as a source of long-term effects on the ecology of both diurnal and nocturnal animals. The limited data available clearly indicate that artificial light can affect physiology and behaviour of animals, leading to ecological consequences at the population, community, and ecosystem levels. Aquatic ecosystems may be particularly vulnerable to such effects, and nocturnally breeding animals such as frogs may be especially affected. To address this potential, we quantify the effects of artificial light on calling and movement behaviour in a rural population of male green frogs ( Rana clamitans melanota (Rafinesque, 1820)) during the breeding season. When exposed to artificial light, frogs produced fewer advertisement calls and moved more frequently than under ambient light conditions. Results clearly demonstrate that male green frog behaviour is affected by the presence of artificial light in a manner that has the potential to reduce recruitment rates and thus affect population dynamics.
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Aihara, Ikkyu, Ryu Takeda, Takeshi Mizumoto, Takuma Otsuka, and Hiroshi G. Okuno. "Size Effect on Call Properties of Japanese Tree Frogs Revealed by Audio-Processing Technique." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 29, no. 1 (February 20, 2017): 247–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2017.p0247.
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[abstFig src='/00290001/23.jpg' width='300' text='Calling behavior of a male Japanese Tree Frog' ] Sensing the external environment is a core function of robots and autonomous mechanics. This function is useful for monitoring and analyzing the ecosystem for our deeper understanding of the nature and accomplishing the sustainable ecosystem. Here, we investigate calling behavior of male frogs by applying audio-processing technique on multiple audio data. In general, male frogs call from their breeding site, and a female frog approaches one of the males by hearing their calls. First, we conducted an indoor experiment to record spontaneous calling behavior of three male Japanese tree frogs, and then separated their call signals according to independent component analysis. The analysis of separated signals shows that chorus size (i.e., the number of calling frogs) has a positive effect on call number, inter-call intervals, and chorus duration. We speculate that a competition in a large chorus encourages the male frogs to make their call properties more attractive to conspecific females.
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Eaton, B. R., W. M. Tonn, C. A. Paszkowski, A. J. Danylchuk, and S. M. Boss. "Indirect effects of fish winterkills on amphibian populations in boreal lakes." Canadian Journal of Zoology 83, no. 12 (December 1, 2005): 1532–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z05-151.
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We exploited fish winterkills in small, boreal Alberta lakes to determine if anuran amphibians respond to large but natural changes in fish densities. Eight large declines in fish abundance occurred in seven lakes over a 5 year period, while major increases in fish abundance, reflecting recovery after winterkill, were recorded 5 times. Summer pitfall trapping of young-of-the-year (YOY) Wood Frogs (Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) and Boreal (Bufo boreas boreas Baird and Girard, 1852) and Canadian (Bufo hemiophrys Cope, 1886) toads indicated that frog abundance responded consistently to such large changes in fish abundance, but especially if fish communities were dominated by small-bodied species (sticklebacks and minnows). As well, changes in YOY Wood Frog and fish abundance were negatively correlated; YOY Wood Frogs were as much as 7.7 times more abundant after winterkills than in non-winterkill years. These increases in metamorphs did not result from an increased immigration of breeding adults to winterkill lakes, suggesting instead that larval survival was greater. Higher abundance of YOY Wood Frogs and toads was associated with smaller body size at metamorphosis. Despite this apparent reduction in individual growth, abundance of juvenile frogs remained significantly elevated 1 year after winterkill. In contrast to Wood Frogs, YOY toads tended to respond positively to recoveries of small-fish populations. Because anuran amphibians can respond to fish winterkill, and because winterkill is a frequent natural disturbance, small fish-bearing lakes can serve as important breeding habitat for amphibians in Alberta's boreal forest.
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Woodward, Bruce Douglas, and Sandra Mitchell. "Predation on Frogs in Breeding Choruses." Southwestern Naturalist 35, no. 4 (December 1990): 449. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3672045.
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Hedges, S. Blair. "Terrestrial-breeding frogs (Strabomantidae) in Peru." Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 8, no. 2 (December 1, 2009): 147. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v8i2p147-148.
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King, Richard B., and Bethia King. "Sexual differences in color and color change in wood frogs." Canadian Journal of Zoology 69, no. 7 (July 1, 1991): 1963–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z91-271.
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An observer-free method of color classification was used to determine whether wood frogs, Rana sylvatica, exhibit sexual differences in color and color change. Males and females captured from breeding aggregations differed significantly in color: females reflected a greater amount of long-wavelength (yellow–red) light and less short-wavelength (blue–green) light than males. The color difference was not just a result of differences in the state of physiological color change at the time of capture but persisted for a month after capture. Males and females also differed in their color-change responses to black and white backgrounds: both sexes changed in brightness, but only males changed in the relative amount of light reflected at different wavelengths. Wood frog color may function in predator avoidance through crypsis. There was a good match between frogs and some of the leaves from the leaf litter surrounding the breeding ponds. Hypotheses for the development of sexual differences in wood frog color include sexual differences in availability of pigment and pigment precursors, morphological color change, and evolutionary response to different selection pressures.
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Roznik, Elizabeth A., Sarah J. Sapsford, David A. Pike, Lin Schwarzkopf, and Ross A. Alford. "Condition-dependent reproductive effort in frogs infected by a widespread pathogen." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282, no. 1810 (July 7, 2015): 20150694. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.0694.
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To minimize the negative effects of an infection on fitness, hosts can respond adaptively by altering their reproductive effort or by adjusting their timing of reproduction. We studied effects of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on the probability of calling in a stream-breeding rainforest frog ( Litoria rheocola ). In uninfected frogs, calling probability was relatively constant across seasons and body conditions, but in infected frogs, calling probability differed among seasons (lowest in winter, highest in summer) and was strongly and positively related to body condition. Infected frogs in poor condition were up to 40% less likely to call than uninfected frogs, whereas infected frogs in good condition were up to 30% more likely to call than uninfected frogs. Our results suggest that frogs employed a pre-existing, plastic, life-history strategy in response to infection, which may have complex evolutionary implications. If infected males in good condition reproduce at rates equal to or greater than those of uninfected males, selection on factors affecting disease susceptibility may be minimal. However, because reproductive effort in infected males is positively related to body condition, there may be selection on mechanisms that limit the negative effects of infections on hosts.
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Rittenhouse, Tracy A. G., and Raymond D. Semlitsch. "Behavioral response of migrating wood frogs to experimental timber harvest surrounding wetlands." Canadian Journal of Zoology 87, no. 7 (July 2009): 618–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z09-049.
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Behavioral responses to ecological disturbances such as timber harvest, fire, or drought provide insight into wildlife habitat requirements. To determine the behavioral response of adult wood frogs ( Lithobates sylvatica (LeConte, 1825)) to timber harvest in oak–hickory forest, we conducted experimental timber harvest surrounding replicate breeding sites, monitored freely moving frogs using radiotelemetry, and tested the repeatability of behavioral responses with two experimental displacements. We found no evidence that wood frogs use recent oak–hickory clearcuts as habitat. Timber harvest was not a complete barrier to movement, as frogs surviving increased predation and desiccation risks reached drainages used as nonbreeding habitat. Frogs did not alter the direction of travel and traversed similar distances (i.e., total distance and net distance from breeding site) before and after timber harvest. However, rate of travel (i.e., maximum distance traversed in 1 day) increased following timber harvest and frogs displaced to the center of clearcuts exited the timber harvest array in one rainy night. Notably, wood frogs following displacement exhibited site fidelity to nonbreeding habitat. We suggest that deleterious effects of timber harvest on amphibians may be minimized through the use of small stand sizes placed in locations that do not separate breeding and nonbreeding habitat.
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Amram, Muhammad Fadzil, Ramlah Zainudin, and Hasnizam Abdul Wahid. "Notes on Advertisement Calls Playback by Three Species of Sarawakian Frogs." Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology 10, no. 1 (July 1, 2020): 51–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.33736/bjrst.2237.2020.
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Male and female frogs respond differently towards advertisement calls. The fittest call will be chosen by the conspecific female to produce progenies, means that call from male to female is to ensure the survival of the species. The objective is to observe the response of both male and female frogs by playing the advertisement call to another male or female of the same species at their breeding site. The advertisement calls were recorded manually and were replayed using a speaker with built-in amplifier. The frog’s responses were then recorded in video form. Ambient temperatures were taken using data logger. The calls were analyzed to describe call characteristics. From the acoustic playback, both male and female Pulchrana glandulosa responded towards the calls. The male produces a crying-like sound while approaching playback source meanwhile the female produces a small “wik” sound. Male Pulchrana baramica responded by straining their calls and approaches the playback source. For male Kurixalus appendiculatus, the individuals responded by moving towards the sound source without calling. Results show that male of different species and male and female of the same species react differently towards playback calls. This shows that the breeding call recorded can be recognized by other frogs when they were played on amplifier.
Keywords: Advertisement calls, call characteristics, playback recording, Sarawak frogs.
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Layne, Jr.,, Jack R., and Matt E. Rice. "Postfreeze locomotion performance in wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) and spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer)." Canadian Journal of Zoology 81, no. 12 (December 1, 2003): 2061–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-202.
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Freeze tolerance exists among a few species of terrestrially hibernating North American frogs such as the wood frog (Rana sylvatica) and the spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer). We investigated jump distance and swimming speed of these two frog species during postfreeze recovery because impaired performance, even if reversible, could have adverse ecological consequences for these frogs. Following a nonlethal freeze at –1.5 °C, R. sylvatica returned to the prefreeze level of both modes of locomotion sooner than P. crucifer (54 h vs. 11 d or longer). Wood frogs recovered slowly following more intense freezes: a –4.0 °C treatment group failed to reach the prefreeze level after 11 d, and a –3.0 °C treatment group took 54 h to reach 50% of the prefreeze level. As a result of their diminished locomotive performance, frogs recovering from natural freezes may be temporarily less able to exploit environmental resources and less able to escape predators active in winter. Nevertheless, given the massive biochemical and physiological disturbances accompanying tissue freezing, the recovery dynamics in these frogs seem sufficiently rapid to minimize most ecological risks and to permit early spring breeding. The faster recovery of locomotion in R. sylvatica compared with P. crucifer is consistent, however, with its greater northward distribution.
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Mignet, Fabien. "Biology and Captive Breeding of the Amazonian Milk Frog, Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Goeldi 1907)." Reptiles & Amphibians 22, no. 2 (June 1, 2015): 68–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.17161/randa.v22i2.14047.
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Although the Amazonian Milk Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) is commonly bred in captivity in zoological institutions worldwide, very little information regarding these undertakings has been published. Here, I report my experience with the successful breeding of T. resinifictrix at the Touroparc Zoo. I highlight some fundamental biological traits in order to fulfill the requirements for captive breeding and to ensure the general welfare of these frogs. The aim is to provide guidelines that may be used by zoos, aquariums, and other facilities as well as private contributions to conservation breeding programs for endangered anurans with requirements similar to those of T. resinifictrix. In general, this species is easy to keep in captivity. Larvae are easy to produce and raise with very low mortality rates. They usually metamorphose at six to ten weeks. However, newly metamorphosed frogs are fragile and require more attention. Several pathogens are known to affect the health of amphibians, and stress can play an important role in immune function.
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Gourevitch, Eleanor H. Z., and J. Roger Downie. "Evaluation of tree frog tracking methods using Phyllomedusa trinitatis (Anura: Phyllomedusidae)." Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 17, no. 2 (December 18, 2018): 233–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v17i2p233-246.
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Evaluation of tree frog tracking methods using Phyllomedusa trinitatis (Anura: Phyllomedusidae). Investigating the behaviors of small, inconspicuous and cryptic animals can be helped by tracking their movements. The effectiveness of different tracking methods can be very dependent on behavior and ecology; radio-telemetry and thread bobbins have been widely used over a range of environments and taxa, but each presents problems. Phyllomedusa trinitatis is a tree frog found in Trinidad and Venezuela and has mostly been studied for its nest building and breeding behavior, but little is known about its behavior away from breeding ponds. This study aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses, including impacts on the welfare of these frogs, of different tracking methods, thread bobbins and radio-telemetry, when used to track them in a dense rainforest environment. A pilot study found that fuorescent dyes were unsuitable for this species. Individuals were tested in laboratory conditions to determine the application time for each tracker and to test on this species the tracker 10% weight rule. The rule was found to be too restrictive for this frog; trackers up to 15% of body weight were used with no signifcant impacts on distances travelled. Frogs became lethargic when bearing trackers longer than two days, so we limited tracking in the feld to one overnight period. Of the 26 frogs tracked in the feld (nine radio-tags, 17 bobbins), 16 were successful (six radio-tags, 10 bobbins) and six untracked frogs were found in the feld during the day as controls. Bobbins were cheaper and allowed visualization of the detailed path taken, including substrates used, but caused more bruising due to entanglement, and individuals tracked with this method were less likely to return on following nights to the breeding ponds. Radio-tags had no threat of entanglement but were much more expensive and the signal was interrupted by the dense vegetation preventing some individuals from being found. There were no signifcant differences in the distances travelled by tracked or control frogs, from which we infer that these tracking methods did not impact signifcantly on movement. It appears that neither of these tracking methods work perfectly for Phyllomedusa in a densely vegetated environment, and that both incur welfare problems. Our study emphasizes the need to test out tracking methods on each species in each habitat.
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Baldwin, R. F., A. J. K. Calhoun, and P. G. deMaynadier. "The significance of hydroperiod and stand maturity for pool-breeding amphibians in forested landscapes." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 11 (November 2006): 1604–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-146.
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The loss of small seasonal wetlands and adjacent forested habitat is a major threat to pool-breeding amphibians in North America. Identifying environmental correlates of breeding effort (and success) in remaining intact landscapes is a critical first step in conservation planning. Little is known about how pool-breeding amphibian populations respond to fine-scale variations in hydroperiod or neighboring forest structure and composition. We studied these associations for wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) and spotted salamanders ( Ambystoma maculatum (Shaw, 1802)) in a forested New England landscape (southern Maine, USA). We conducted egg mass counts across two seasons at 87 strictly seasonal pools. The influence of hydroperiod and landscape (150 and 500 m scales) habitat characteristics on breeding effort were investigated. Pools with longer hydroperiods (≥18 weeks post breeding) that were relatively isolated from other breeding wetlands (<13 neighboring pools within 150 m and <19 within 500 m) supported larger breeding populations of both wood frogs and spotted salamanders. Salamander breeding populations were largest in relatively mature forests. Naturalized, anthropogenic pools supported comparable levels of breeding effort with that of natural pools. Conservation planning for wood frogs and spotted salamanders should incorporate pools at the longer end of the seasonal hydroperiod gradient.
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Dökenel, Gülşah, and Selmin Özer. "Bacterial agents isolated from cultured marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus, Pallas 1771)." Ege Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 36, no. 2 (June 15, 2019): 115–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.2019.36.2.03.
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Marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus) are preferred in European cuisine. In recent years, interest in farming of marsh frogs has increased, but little is known about their bacterial diseases. This research was carried out in a marsh frog farming operation in Mersin, Turkey, in order to determine the bacterial diversity. For this purpose, a total of 339 frog, 30 water, and 8 feed samples were collected. Isolation and identification of bacteria were carried out by conventional techniques and the VITEK-2 compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. A total of 239 isolates of 49 different species, including 31 Gram negative rod-shaped bacteria, 9 Gram positive rod-shaped sporeforming bacteria, and 9 Gram positive cocci-shaped non-sporeforming bacteria have been identified. These bacteria species were detected from 25 (83.3%) water, 5 (62.5%) feed samples, and 64 (84.2%) of 76 frog specimens. Antimicrobial susceptibility and MAR index values ranged between 1.4-95.8% and 0.13-0.73, respectively. In conclusion, the presence of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria in water, feed and frog specimens, which could pose risk for frogs and human health, have been detected in the marsh frog farm in Mersin. This study reveals, that further investigations are necessary for sustainable marsh frog breeding in Turkey.
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CHANNING, A. "OPPORTUNISTIC SEASONAL BREEDING BY FROGS IN NAMAQUALAND." Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa 35, no. 1 (March 1988): 19–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/04416651.1988.9650203.
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Walston, Leroy J., and Stephen J. Mullin. "Variation in amount of surrounding forest habitat influences the initial orientation of juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds." Canadian Journal of Zoology 86, no. 2 (February 2008): 141–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z07-117.
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Juvenile dispersal is important for the persistence of amphibian populations. Previous studies have observed nonrandom orientation in juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds; however, the environmental cues associated with these movements are not well understood. We examined the emigration behavior of recently metamorphosed juveniles of three pond-breeding amphibian species from three woodland ponds. We found that juvenile small-mouthed salamanders ( Ambystoma texanum (Matthes, 1855)), American toads ( Bufo americanus Holbrook, 1836), and wood frogs ( Rana sylvatica LeConte, 1825) exhibited nonrandom orientation upon exiting the breeding ponds. Furthermore, we found a positive relationship between captures of juvenile small-mouthed salamanders and wood frogs and width of the surrounding forest habitat, indicating that these species are selecting areas with broader forested habitat upon exiting the breeding ponds. Our results indicate that migrating juvenile amphibians may rely on direct environmental cues because the orientation of small-mouthed salamanders and wood frogs was influenced by width of the surrounding forested habitat. These observations support previous studies suggesting that maintaining forest habitat, along at least a portion of breeding ponds, is important for the persistence of amphibian populations.
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Boyle, Cameron M., Eleanor H. Z. Gourevitch, and J. Roger Downie. "Breeding site attendance and breeding success in Phyllomedusa trinitatis (Anura: Phyllomedusidae)." Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 20, no. 1 (June 22, 2021): 53–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v20i1p53-66.
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Using a natural marker, we documented breeding site attendance patterns by males and females of the Trinidad Leaf Frog, Phyllomedusa trinitatis. We followed attendance at a cluster of three isolated ponds over 53 and 56 consecutive nights in 2016 and 2019 respectively. Most females attended only once, but for those that attended more than once we calculated an inter-nesting interval (mean 27.6 days, N = 7). Males showed high pond fidelity, but some did attend at two of the ponds, always with a strong preference for one of them. Males showed three attendance patterns. A few attended on multiple consecutive nights (maximum, 19 nights); more were sporadic (one attended seven times over 46 nights with gaps of 15 and 19 days in the sequence); some attended only once (2016: 12, 2019: 15), but most were found to be present on multiple nights (2016: 38, 2019: 32). Our analysis suggested that these latter frogs were either newly recruited individuals or had been predated during the study. Our data show that rainfall has some influence on attendance. We found no relationship between male body condition and attendance pattern. In addition, there was no evidence that a particular male attendance pattern was optimal for breeding success.
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Mayer, Martin, Gregory P. Brown, Barbara Zimmermann, Matthew J. Greenlees, and Richard Shine. "Habitat use of the introduced cane toad (Rhinella marina) and native frog species in tropical Australia." Journal of Tropical Ecology 31, no. 6 (September 17, 2015): 531–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467415000474.
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Abstract:The ecological impacts of introduced species can reveal mechanisms underlying habitat selection and behaviour. We investigated the habitat use of native frog species and the invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) in tropical northern Australia to measure overlap in habitat use, and to test if the presence of the cane toad influences frog behaviour. Native frog species and the cane toad both preferred habitats close to water and unvegetated holes. However, native frogs were found further from water (on average 19.4 m) than were toads (on average 12.6 m), and preferred areas with higher vegetation (8–50 cm) than did toads, which were more abundant in vegetation lower than 8 cm. For both types of anuran, the next neighbour was more often of the same type (89% in frogs, 52% in toads) than expected by chance (observed ratio: 75% frogs vs 25% toads), reflecting these differences in habitat use. Our counts of frog abundance increased on average 14.5% in areas from which we removed cane toads temporarily. This result suggests that cane toads inhibit the activity of native anurans either by inducing avoidance, or by reducing activity. By modifying the behaviour and spatial distribution of native taxa, invasive cane toads may curtail activities such as feeding and breeding.
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Kouba, A., E. Willis, C. Vance, S. Hasenstab, S. Reichling, J. Krebs, L. Linhoff, M. Snoza, C. Langhorne, and J. Germano. "116 DEVELOPMENT OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE ENDANGERED MISSISSIPPI GOPHER FROG (RANA SEVOSA) AND SPERM TRANSFER FOR IN VITRO FERTILIZATION." Reproduction, Fertility and Development 24, no. 1 (2012): 170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rdv24n1ab116.
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Species-specific differences in breeding strategies and physiology have limited the application of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) for critically endangered amphibians in captive assurance colonies. In 2006, the Memphis Zoo (MZ) initiated a program to develop ART for the critically endangered Mississippi gopher frog after natural breeding failed. Standard gamete collection and IVF developed by MZ for reproducing endangered toads such as the Wyoming or boreal toad were applied to the gopher frog with little success, especially hormonal therapy for sperm production. Using the leopard frog as a model species for Ranids, we tested the time and dose dependence of a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) and hCG on sperm quantity and quality. Initial findings from the leopard frog study were critical in designing the study on gopher frogs. Our objectives were to (1) compare 2 different hormones administered intraperitoneal (500 IU hCG vs 15 μg LHRHa) or their combination on spermiation in gopher frogs; (2) develop in vivo oocyte maturation and ovulation protocols using LHRHa (15 μg) and hCG (500 IU); and (3) transfer this technology to another institution as proof of principle. In gopher frogs, 100 and 83% of the males produced sperm in response to the LHRHa and the combination treatment, respectively, whereas only 16% responded to hCG alone. Sperm concentration peaked at 1 h post-administration for all treatments, with the LHRH/hCG cocktail treatment producing the highest concentration of sperm (mean = 4.6 × 106 ± 1.2 × 106 sperm mL–1, n = 6). No differences in motility were observed between treatments (P > 0.05). For females, a series of priming hormones of hCG and LHRHa were given several months before an ovulatory hormone regimen resulting in ovulation by 100% of the females (n = 6), whereas animals not primed failed to ovulate (n = 4). These 3 separate priming and IVF trials conducted between 2008 and 2010 resulted in each female laying ∼2000 eggs, with an average fertilization rate of 76% for inseminated eggs and hundreds of tadpoles produced. These IVF tadpoles represent the first captive reproduction of gopher frogs and highlight how ART can be applied to conservation and genetic management of threatened species. Subsequently, we tested our IVF protocols on gopher frogs at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo using fresh (collected on site) and chilled, shipped sperm from MZ. We collected 6169 eggs from 9 hormone-primed females with all animals ovulating. A portion of the total eggs ovulated were inseminated, resulting in 2401 fertilized eggs (38.9% of total eggs collected) across 18 different male–female pairings leading to viable tadpoles. In addition, sperm transferred overnight from the MZ produced 202/441 fertilized eggs (46%). The transfer of this technology and production of endangered amphibians using chilled, shipped sperm from live animals is a conservation milestone that can be applied to other captive breeding programs.
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Faggioni, Gabriel P., Gabriel P. Faggioni, Kelly R. Zamudio, Gabriel P. Faggioni, Kelly R. Zamudio, Franco L. Souza, Gabriel P. Faggioni, Kelly R. Zamudio, Franco L. Souza, and Cynthia P. A. Prado. "Isolation and characterization of microsatellites markers for two South American frogs (Leptodactylus bufonius and L. chaquensis) using next generation sequencing." Amphibia-Reptilia 35, no. 4 (2014): 405–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002961.
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Leptodactylus bufonius (Vizcacheras’ white-lipped frog) and L. chaquensis (Cei’s white-lipped frog) are pond-breeding frogs that inhabit the Chaco and surrounding savanna-like formations in South America. Throughout the Chacoan plain, the combined impacts of livestock and forestry practices have led to a highly fragmented landscape and an impoverished ecological system, threatening local species. We cloned and characterized new microsatellite markers for both species. These markers will be useful for behavioral and conservation genetic studies of populations throughout this threatened habitat.
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Railsback, Steven F., Bret C. Harvey, Sarah J. Kupferberg, Margaret M. Lang, Scott McBain, and Hart H. Welsh. "Modeling potential river management conflicts between frogs and salmonids." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 73, no. 5 (May 2016): 773–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2015-0267.
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Management of regulated rivers for yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) and salmonids exemplifies potential conflicts among species adapted to different parts of the natural flow and temperature regimes. Yellow-legged frogs oviposit in rivers in spring and depend on declining flows and warming temperatures for egg and tadpole survival and growth, whereas salmonid management can include high spring flows and low-temperature reservoir releases. We built a model of how flow and temperature affect frog breeding success. Its mechanisms include adults selecting oviposition sites to balance risks of egg dewatering by decreasing flow versus scouring by high flow, temperature effects on development, habitat selection by tadpoles, and mortality via dewatering and scouring. In simulations of a regulated river managed primarily for salmonids, below-natural temperatures delayed tadpole metamorphosis into froglets, which can reduce overwinter survival. However, mitigating this impact via higher temperatures was predicted to cause adults to oviposit before spring flow releases for salmonids, which then scoured the egg masses. The relative timing of frog oviposition and high flow releases appears critical in determining conflicts between salmonid and frog management.
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Swanson, E. M., S. M. Tekmen, and M. A. Bee. "Do female frogs exploit inadvertent social information to locate breeding aggregations?" Canadian Journal of Zoology 85, no. 9 (September 2007): 921–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z07-074.
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The advertisement calls of male anurans (frogs and toads) are loud and conspicuous signals, and the sound generated by breeding aggregations of males propagates over long distances. As a by-product of communication within an aggregation, the sounds of a frog chorus constitute a form of inadvertent social information that provides potential long-distance cues about the location and timing of breeding. We investigated whether female American toads ( Bufo americanus Holbrook, 1836) and Cope’s gray treefrogs ( Hyla chrysoscelis Cope, 1880) use the sounds of a chorus to locate breeding aggregations in the absence of other sensory cues. Females of both species approached speakers broadcasting recordings of a chorus made from distances of 0, 20, and 40 m, but not from distances of 80 and 160 m. Female toads also exhibited phonotaxis to a completely artificial chorus sound, but female gray treefrogs did not. We found little evidence to suggest that female American toads and Cope’s gray treefrogs differed substantially in their responses to natural chorus sounds despite potential differences in the predictability and duration of breeding seasons in these two species. Our results suggest that the inadvertent social information of a chorus could be used over short distances to locate breeding aggregations.
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Penman, Trent D., Frank L. Lemckert, and Michael J. Mahony. "Spatial ecology of the giant burrowing frog (Heleioporus australiacus): implications for conservation prescriptions." Australian Journal of Zoology 56, no. 3 (2008): 179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo08077.
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Management of threatened anurans requires an understanding of a species’ behaviour and habitat requirements in both the breeding and non-breeding environments. The giant burrowing frog (Heleioporus australiacus) is a threatened species in south-eastern Australia. Little is known about its habitat requirements, creating difficulties in developing management strategies for the species. We radio-tracked 33 individual H. australiacus in order to determine their habitat use and behaviour. Data from 33 frogs followed for between 5 and 599 days show that individuals spend little time near (<15 m) their breeding sites (mean 4.7 days for males and 6.3 days for females annually). Most time is spent in distinct non-breeding activity areas 20–250 m from the breeding sites. Activity areas of females were further from the breeding site (mean 143 m) than those of males (mean 99 m), but were not significantly different in size (overall mean 500 m2; males 553 m2; females 307 m2). Within activity areas, each frog used 1–14 burrows repeatedly, which we term home burrows. Existing prescriptions are inappropriate for this species and we propose protection of key populations in the landscape as a more appropriate means of protecting this species.
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Daly, Garry. "The distribution and status of the Giant Burrowing Frog Heleioporus australiacus in the Shoalhaven region of south-eastern New South Wales." Australian Zoologist 40, no. 2 (December 2019): 256–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/az.2018.011.
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Surveys were conducted for the Giant Burrowing Frog Heleioporus australiacus within 50 km of Nowra, on the south coast of New South Wales using a variety of methods. Thirty-eight 250 m transects were surveyed at night for 30 min each and 0–12 adult frogs were detected during these searches. Additional diurnal searches for tadpoles proved to be the most efficient method to detect the species and locate breeding sites. Of 102 sites surveyed, fragmented populations were found at 27 by the presence of tadpoles and adult frogs. The vegetation at these sites was woodland and open forest with a dense shrublayer of heath, but was often ecotonal. Forty-six percent of the sites were within 100 m of cliff edges/waterfalls. The lithology of sites where the frog was found varied from Hawkesbury, Nowra and Snapper Point sandstones. The exception was a population south of Ulladulla that occurs on undifferentiated sediments, but at that site exposed sandstone and a sandy overlay was present. The location of tadpoles indicated that adults were highly selective of the section of drainage line used for breeding. Often these sites consisted of a few small pools in non-perennial creeks. Breeding behaviour was associated with late summer and autumn rain, but in some sites reproduction did not occur annually. Based on distribution and habitat preference, the region has five discrete populations. Urban development has fragmented populations.
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Dalbeck, Lutz, Joyce Janssen, and Sophie Luise Völsgen. "Beavers (Castor fiber) increase habitat availability, heterogeneity and connectivity for common frogs (Rana temporaria)." Amphibia-Reptilia 35, no. 3 (2014): 321–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002956.
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Beavers (Castor fiber), as typical ecosystem engineers, alter living conditions especially for amphibians through the building of dams and felling of trees, thereby changing the hydroperiod and substantially affecting forest succession stages. In this study we quantify the effects of beavers on the availability of amphibian breeding waters in the Hürtgenwald, a woodland area in the Central European Rhenish Massif, its colonisation by common frogs (Rana temporaria) and the effects of age and succession stage of beaver ponds on ovipositional site selection. In 2013, beaver ponds comprised about half (49%) of all lentic water bodies but contained 82.5% of all common frog egg masses. Mature beaver ponds (>6 years old) harboured approximately half of the egg masses (), but new beaver ponds (1-3 years old) can also be home to large breeding aggregations. Abandoned beaver ponds are of minor importance as ovipositional sites for common frogs. High egg mass counts were also found in artificially-dammed ponds (). We believe that common frogs prefer occupied beaver ponds as ovipositional sites because of high insolation and a permanent hydroperiod, which lead to rapid tadpole emergence. Beaver ponds are generally located in close proximity to each other, facilitating movement and rapid colonisation by common frogs. Our research provides additional evidence to show that beavers enhance habitat availability, heterogeneity and connectivity, thereby fostering amphibian populations at a landscape level. As natural elements of small streams, beaver ponds must be taken into account in the context of the EU Water Framework Directive.
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Beck, Kristina B., Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Max Ringler, Walter Hödl, and Andrius Pašukonis. "Relying on known or exploring for new? Movement patterns and reproductive resource use in a tadpole-transporting frog." PeerJ 5 (August 29, 2017): e3745. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3745.
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Animals relying on uncertain, ephemeral and patchy resources have to regularly update their information about profitable sites. For many tropical amphibians, widespread, scattered breeding pools constitute such fluctuating resources. Among tropical amphibians, poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) exhibit some of the most complex spatial and parental behaviors—including territoriality and tadpole transport from terrestrial clutches to ephemeral aquatic deposition sites. Recent studies have revealed that poison frogs rely on spatial memory to successfully navigate through their environment. This raises the question of when and how these frogs gain information about the area and suitable reproductive resources. To investigate the spatial patterns of pool use and to reveal potential explorative behavior, we used telemetry to follow males of the territorial dendrobatid frog Allobates femoralis during tadpole transport and subsequent homing. To elicit exploration, we reduced resource availability experimentally by simulating desiccated deposition sites. We found that tadpole transport is strongly directed towards known deposition sites and that frogs take similar direct paths when returning to their home territory. Frogs move faster during tadpole transport than when homing after the deposition, which probably reflects different risks and costs during these two movement phases. We found no evidence for exploration, neither during transport nor homing, and independent of the availability of deposition sites. We suggest that prospecting during tadpole transport is too risky for the transported offspring as well as for the transporting male. Relying on spatial memory of multiple previously discovered pools appears to be the predominant and successful strategy for the exploitation of reproductive resources in A. femoralis. Our study provides for the first time a detailed description of poison frog movement patterns during tadpole transport and corroborates recent findings on the significance of spatial memory in poison frogs. When these frogs explore and discover new reproductive resources remains unknown.
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Davis, Abbey B., and Paul A. Verrell. "Demography and reproductive ecology of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) across the Palouse." Canadian Journal of Zoology 83, no. 5 (May 1, 2005): 702–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z05-061.
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Here we report on the demography and reproductive ecology of the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris Thompson, 1913) breeding in ponds across the Palouse Bioregion of Washington and Idaho. Spotted frogs are unusual, if not unique, among temperate ranids in that males establish the oviposition site before females become active. Females laid at one or two communal sites in shallow water. Our breeding populations were small, never exceeding 50 adults counted, and most displayed male-biased sex ratios. We estimated effective population sizes (Ne) as ranges determined by extremes in male breeding success; these varied between 3.2 and 37.8. Even the latter falls below the minimum required for long-term population viability. Small population size may make spotted frogs vulnerable to genetic problems and environmental insults. Communal oviposition certainly renders a population's reproductive effort vulnerable to variation in hydroperiod, which we observed during the dry spring of 2004. In the absence of information on the degree of "connectedness" among our ponds as subunits of more resilient metapopulations, we suggest that small population size and communal oviposition likely render R. luteiventris vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance. Furthermore, the status of R. luteiventris on the Palouse may be less secure than assumed currently.
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Di Rosa, Ines, Romina Clarioni, Hansjürg Hotz, Rita Pascolini, Francesca Simoncelli, Anna Fagotti, Lorena Morosi, Roberto Pellegrino, and Gaston-Denis Guex. "Bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides in frogs of the Rana esculenta complex in central Italy." Amphibia-Reptilia 26, no. 1 (2005): 93–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1568538053693297.
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AbstractConcentrations of commonly used organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined in tissues of 23 adult and 24 larval water frogs of two coexisting species (Rana lessonae and the hemiclonal hybrid R. esculenta) and in the water of their breeding pond in an agricultural zone in Umbria, central Italy, where increased occurrence of infectious diseases and distinctly oversized tadpoles were recently observed. The concentrations of OCP in tissues of both species were lower than those in the water of their breeding pond, except for DDT, which was more concentrated in adult frogs than in pond water (bioaccumulation factor 7 for R. lessonae, 15 for R. esculenta). Total OCP concentration and adult body weight were positively correlated for both species, which is consistent with bioaccumulation. In accord, adults contained higher OCP concentrations than tadpoles. Oversized tadpoles had higher OCP concentrations than normal tadpoles. Mean OCP concentrations in individual organs were about an order of magnitude higher than those in whole-frog homogenates. They were highest in brain, higher in ventral than in dorsal skin, and moderately high in ovaries; transmission of bioaccumulation loads to the next generation is therefore possible. The observed OCP concentrations appear too low to directly cause mortality in water frogs, but effects of cumulative exposure to low-level pollutants and their synergistic interactions with the effects of other natural and anthropogenic environmental stressors are unknown.
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Marsh, David M. "Variable Responses to Rainfall by Breeding Tungara Frogs." Copeia 2000, no. 4 (December 2000): 1104–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1643/0045-8511(2000)000[1104:vrtrbb]2.0.co;2.
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Mudke, Madhushri. "Nesting frogs - the breeding biology of Indirana cf. tysoni in the Western Ghats, India." Spring 2021, no. 155, Spring 2021 (April 1, 2021): 2–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.33256/hb155.27.
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Frogs of the genus Indirana are endemic to India. Previous research on these frogs has focussed on taxonomy and systematics but their behaviour remains largely understudied. Here we report the breeding behaviour of Indirana cf. tysoni, including nest building, male to male combat, inguinal amplexus, egg clutch guarding, tadpoles and polymorphism. We also analyse advertisement calls and present a comparative analysis with previously published data. Lastly, we discuss the need to study these breeding behaviours in-depth in order to help frame appropriate conservation plans.
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Vojar, Jiří, Petr Chajma, Oldřich Kopecký, Vladimír Puš, and Miroslav Šálek. "The effect of sex ratio on size-assortative mating in two explosively breeding anurans." Amphibia-Reptilia 36, no. 2 (2015): 149–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00002991.
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Size-assortative mating (SAM) is a widespread phenomenon related to individual fitness. In our study, we examined: (i) the appearance of SAM, and (ii) the effect of sex ratio on intensity of SAM in wild populations of two explosively breeding anurans, common frogs,Rana temporaria, and common toads,Bufo bufo. Despite a higher male-biased operational sex ratio (OSR) in toads, the body lengths of the paired males and females were significantly correlated only in frogs. Increasing male-male competition, assessed via the OSR, resulted in a stronger correlation also in frogs only. Thus, great variability in the presence and intensity of SAM has been observed within both studied species.
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Romagnoli, Samuele, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, and Raoul Manenti. "Invasive crayfish does not influence spawning microhabitat selection of brown frogs." PeerJ 8 (April 15, 2020): e8985. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8985.
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Microhabitat selection is a key component of amphibian breeding biology and can be modulated in response to the features of breeding sites and the presence of predators. Despite invasive alien species being among the major threats to amphibians, there is limited information on the role of invasive species in shaping amphibians’ breeding microhabitat choice. The invasive red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is a major predator of amphibians’ larvae, including those of the brown frogs Rana dalmatina and Rana latastei. Although qualitative information about the spawning site preferences and breeding microhabitat choice of brown frogs is available in the literature, only a few studies performed quantitative analyses, and the relationship between microhabitat choice and the presence of alien predators has not been investigated yet. The aims of this study were: (1) to characterize the microhabitats selected for clutch deposition by R. dalmatina and R. latastei and (2) to test if the position and the aggregation of egg clutches differ in sites invaded or not invaded by P. clarkii. During spring 2017, we surveyed multiple times 15 breeding sites of both brown frogs in Northern Italy; in each site we assessed the features of the microhabitat where each egg clutch was laid, considering its position (distance from the shore, depth of the water column) and the degree of aggregation of clutches. In each site we also assessed the presence/absence of the invasive crayfish and the relative abundance in the breeding period. We detected egg clutches in all sites; the crayfish occurred in eight ponds. Our results showed substantial differences between the spawning microhabitat features of the two brown frogs: Rana latastei clutches showed a higher degree of aggregation and were associated with deeper areas of the ponds , while Rana dalmatina deposited more spaced out clutches in areas of the ponds that were less deep. For both species, spawning microhabitat features were not significantly different between sites with and without P. clarkii. Although we did not detect behavioural responses to P. clarkii in the choice of spawning microhabitat , additional studies are required to assess whether these frogs modulate other behavioural traits (e.g. during larval development) in response to the invasive predator.
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Alloush, Menemsha, Douglas Scofield, Susanne Marczak, Robin Jones, Kristine Kaiser, Mark Oliva, Peter M. Narins, and Katherine Martineau. "When sounds collide: the effect of anthropogenic noise on a breeding assemblage of frogs in Belize, Central America." Behaviour 148, no. 2 (2011): 215–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/000579510x551660.
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AbstractMany organisms depend on acoustic communication for myriad functions, and have evolved behaviours to minimize effects of naturally occurring acoustic interference. However, as habitats are subject to increased alteration, anthropogenic noise becomes unavoidable, and how animals overcome such interference is not well understood. In most ecosystems, only a subset of frog species is associated with disturbed habitats; the ability of these species to overcome exogenous noise suggests that habitat associations may be related to species' response to noise. We tested the hypothesis that frogs associated with largely undisturbed forest habitat would be less likely to increase call output in response to exogenous noise than would those associated with disturbed or open habitat. While this relationship was not significant, we found a slight trend supporting the hypothesis. We then asked whether anthropogenic noise affects chorus tenure at individual- or at chorus-levels. Male frogs exposed to anthropogenic noise decreased both the number of days present at the chorus and the nightly chorus duration relative to controls. Because females generally join choruses late at night to breed, the effects of noise shown here are likely to substantially decrease frog reproductive success; thus, the acoustic environment may play an important role in shaping population dynamics and in amphibian declines.
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Narayan, Edward, and Jean-Marc Hero. "Urinary corticosterone responses and haematological stress indicators in the endangered Fijian ground frog (Platymantis vitiana) during transportation and captivity." Australian Journal of Zoology 59, no. 2 (2011): 79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo11030.
Full textAbstract:
Physiological stress assessment is important for in-situ conservation and captive management of threatened wildlife. Leukocyte (white blood cell) evaluation, especially the neutrophil : lymphocyte (N : L) ratio, provides a logical representation of experimentally elevated corticosterone (stress hormone) in amphibians. Urinary corticosterone enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) is a rapid non-invasive tool for assessing stress responses in amphibians. To our knowledge, no one has explored the relationship between N : L ratio and urinary corticosterone in wild amphibians in a non-experimental way. This study provides a comparative assessment of relative leukocyte numbers, N : L ratios and urinary corticosterone responses of the endangered Fijian ground frog (Platymantis vitiana) during transportation and captivity. Adult frogs (n = 40) were collected from Viwa, Fiji Island for captive breeding. Frogs showed significant changes in leukocyte proportions during transportation and captivity. N : L ratios were higher 6 h after transportation and over 5 and 15 days in captivity. Urinary corticosterone responses of the frogs were also higher 6 h after transportation and after 5 and 15 days in captivity. All leukocyte proportions, N : L ratios and urinary corticosterone concentrations of the frogs returned near baseline levels after the frogs were kept in an environmentally enriched outdoor enclosure for over 25 days. These results highlight the value of leukocyte evaluation and urinary corticosterone EIAs as physiological tools for evaluating stress in amphibians.
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Chelgren, Nathan D., Daniel K. Rosenberg, Selina S. Heppell, and Alix I. Gitelman. "Individual variation affects departure rate from the natal pond in an ephemeral pond-breeding anuran." Canadian Journal of Zoology 86, no. 4 (April 2008): 260–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z08-003.
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Frogs exhibit extreme plasticity and individual variation in growth and behavior during metamorphosis, driven by interactions of intrinsic state factors and extrinsic environmental factors. In northern red-legged frogs ( Rana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852), we studied the timing of departure from the natal pond as it relates to date and size of individuals at metamorphosis in the context of environmental uncertainty. To affect body size at metamorphosis, we manipulated food availability during the larval stage for a sample (317) of 1045 uniquely marked individuals and released them at their natal ponds as newly metamorphosed frogs. We recaptured 34% of marked frogs in pitfall traps as they departed and related the timing of their initial terrestrial movements to individual properties using a time-to-event model. Median age at first capture was 4 and 9 days postmetamorphosis at two sites. The rate of departure was positively related to body size and to date of metamorphosis. Departure rate was strongly negatively related to time elapsed since rainfall, and this effect was diminished for smaller and later metamorphosing frogs. Individual variation in metamorphic traits thus affects individuals’ responses to environmental variability, supporting a behavioral link with variation in survival associated with these same metamorphic traits.
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Tasse Taboue, Geraud Canis, and Eric Bertrand Fokam. "Life History of the Golden Puddle Frog, Phrynobatrachus auritus Boulenger 1900 (Anura: Phrynobatrachidae)." International Journal of Biology 8, no. 3 (June 27, 2016): 77. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijb.v8n3p77.
Full textAbstract:
Frogs of the genus <em>Phrynobatrachus </em>Günther, 1862 are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. These are increasingly threatened by a number of factors and are believed to be declining. We report on captive breeding experiments involving <em>Phrynobatrachus auritus</em> Boulenger, 1900. We provide a comprehensive life history for this frog with emphasize on tadpole development time, as well as a description of both the advertisement call and calling behaviour of the adult.
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POULIN, BRIGITTE, GAËTAN LEFEBVRE, ROBERTO IBÁÑEZ, CÉSAR JARAMILLO, CARLOS HERNÁNDEZ, and A. STANLEY RAND. "Avian predation upon lizards and frogs in a neotropical forest understorey." Journal of Tropical Ecology 17, no. 1 (January 2001): 21–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s026646740100102x.
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Although tropical forest birds are known to prey upon small lizards and frogs, no study has documented the attributes of vertebrate-eating birds or whether birds prey opportunistically on the different elements of the herpetofauna within tropical communities. This study is based on a 14-mo investigation on avian diet, supplemented with a 3-y census of frogs and a 1-y census of lizards in a humid forest of central Panama. From 91 bird species, 1086 regurgitates were collected, in which were found 75 lizards and 53 frogs. Over 50% of the common, primarily insectivorous bird species preyed upon lizards or frogs, with a mean frequency of 0.26 prey/sample. These birds (22 species, nine families) foraged on various substrates from different strata of the forest, fed on invertebrates averaging from 3.3 to 17.2 mm in length, weighed from 11 to 195 g, and had bill lengths that varied from 12.2 to 49.8 mm. Based on a logistic regression analysis, intensity of foraging at army-ant swarms was the variable that best explained the likelihood that a bird species preyed upon lizards, leading to a classification that was 91% correct. In contrast, bill length and body length classified correctly 88% of the frog-eating birds, which showed a fairly constant 1:7 bill length/body length ratio (as opposed to a mean but highly variable 1:10 ratio in other species). A multiple regression analysis showed that seasonal variation in intensity of lizard predation was positively related to arthropod abundance except during the breeding season when lizard intake decreased, presumably because nesting birds did not follow ant swarms. Intensity of frog predation correlated with frog abundance over time, the latter being inversely related to arthropod availability. Ninety-seven per cent of all lizards and frogs identified in the diet samples (n = 105) were from two genera, Anolis and Eleutherodactylus, respectively. Prey size distribution in the regurgitates suggested an optimal prey size of 33.5 mm snout-vent length (SVL) for lizards and 14.5 mm SVL for frogs. Birds preyed opportunistically on the different Anolis species, but almost exclusively upon juvenile individuals. Abundances of the different Eleutherodactylus species correlated with their predation rates, but these frogs represented only 10% of all the frogs observed during the censuses. The two most common local anurans, Colostethus flotator and Bufo typhonius, were not taken by any bird species.
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Akulenko, N. M. "Pecular Features of Hematopoiesis in the Liver of Mature and Immature Green Frogs (Pelophylax Esculentus Complex)." Vestnik Zoologii 50, no. 6 (December 1, 2016): 547–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/vzoo-2016-0062.
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Abstract The article describes characteristic features of the hematopoiesis in mature and immature green frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex). Quantitative differences in liver myelograms were insignificant. However, in a sample of mature animals numerous significant correlations between the number of pigment inclusions in the liver and indicators of erythropoiesis and myelopoiesis were observed. Those correlations were absent in the immature frogs. We concluded that aft er the frogs’ breeding a lack of plastic resources, in particular, hemosiderin remains up to the hibernation.
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Becker, C. Guilherme, Molly C. Bletz, Sasha E. Greenspan, David Rodriguez, Carolina Lambertini, Thomas S. Jenkinson, Paulo R. Guimarães, et al. "Low-load pathogen spillover predicts shifts in skin microbiome and survival of a terrestrial-breeding amphibian." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286, no. 1908 (August 14, 2019): 20191114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.1114.
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Wildlife disease dynamics are strongly influenced by the structure of host communities and their symbiotic microbiota. Conspicuous amphibian declines associated with the waterborne fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) have been observed in aquatic-breeding frogs globally. However, less attention has been given to cryptic terrestrial-breeding amphibians that have also been declining in tropical regions. By experimentally manipulating multiple tropical amphibian assemblages harbouring natural microbial communities, we tested whether Bd spillover from naturally infected aquatic-breeding frogs could lead to Bd amplification and mortality in our focal terrestrial-breeding host: the pumpkin toadlet Brachycephalus pitanga . We also tested whether the strength of spillover could vary depending on skin bacterial transmission within host assemblages. Terrestrial-breeding toadlets acquired lethal spillover infections from neighbouring aquatic hosts and experienced dramatic but generally non-protective shifts in skin bacterial composition primarily attributable to their Bd infections. By contrast, aquatic-breeding amphibians maintained mild Bd infections and higher survival, with shifts in bacterial microbiomes that were unrelated to Bd infections. Our results indicate that Bd spillover from even mildly infected aquatic-breeding hosts may lead to dysbiosis and mortality in terrestrial-breeding species, underscoring the need to further investigate recent population declines of terrestrial-breeding amphibians in the tropics.