Intraspecific communication in frogs plays an important role in the recognition of conspecifics in general and of potential rivals or mates in particular and therefore with relevant consequences for ...pre-zygotic reproductive isolation. We investigate intraspecific communication in Hylodes japi, an endemic Brazilian torrent frog with territorial males and an elaborate courtship behavior. We describe its repertoire of acoustic signals as well as one of the most complex repertoires of visual displays known in anurans, including five new visual displays. Previously unknown in frogs, we also describe a bimodal inter-sexual communication system where the female stimulates the male to emit a courtship call. As another novelty for frogs, we show that in addition to choosing which limb to signal with, males choose which of their two vocal sacs will be used for visual signaling. We explain how and why this is accomplished. Control of inflation also provides additional evidence that vocal sac movement and color must be important for visual communication, even while producing sound. Through the current knowledge on visual signaling in Neotropical torrent frogs (i.e. hylodids), we discuss and highlight the behavioral diversity in the family Hylodidae. Our findings indicate that communication in species of Hylodes is undoubtedly more sophisticated than we expected and that visual communication in anurans is more widespread than previously thought. This is especially true in tropical regions, most likely due to the higher number of species and phylogenetic groups and/or to ecological factors, such as higher microhabitat diversity.
Reproductive site selection is a key determinant of fitness in many taxa. However, if the site characteristics that enhance offspring survival are detrimental to the parent's survival or mating ...success, then complex evolutionary trade-offs occur. In the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, males of the treefrog species Aparasphenodon arapapa use the temporary water bodies in forest-floor bromeliads to court and mate. Males fit tightly into the plant with the head blocking the access and after mating, stay in the bromeliad with the offspring. Since evaporation of the temporary water body inside the bromeliad results in reproductive failure, we expected that males would simply choose the largest bromeliad tanks with the most water. We found that although this was generally true, males seemed to avoid both very large bromeliads and very high water volumes. Field observations suggested a trade-off mechanism for this pattern, whereby very large and water-filled tanks would reduce the male's ability to effectively seal the tank entrance, avoid predation, or call to mating females. Males also avoided bromeliads with leaf litter and preferred slightly inclined plants. Our results indicate that during reproductive site selection, this bromeliad-breeder needs to engage in complex trade-offs between selection pressures, balancing water requirements against the need for defense and potentially, the ability to attract a mate.
Phyllodytes tuberculosus is a bromeligenous anuran species whose geographic distribution is restricted to areas of the Caatinga and to transition zones between Caatinga and Atlantic Forest in the ...central-south of the state of Bahia. Its existence in close relationship with bromeliads and its occurrence in dry and highly seasonal environments drove us to the supposition that species is opportunistic/generalist regard to diet. We collected the items present in the stomach of 43 P. tuberculosus individuals with stomach-flushing method. Of these, 18 stomach contents were obtained during the dry period (April-October), and 25 during the rainy period (November-March). We recorded nine classes of prey, finding the greatest relative importance for the categories Formicidae and Coleoptera in dry season and Blattodea (Termites), Formicidae and Coleoptera in the rainy season. Phyllodytes tuberculosus presented a varied, possibly opportunistic diet in semiarid environments. Additionally, we report an apparent temporal differentiation related to the typical Caatinga seasonality. This study adds to the data on the natural history of an anuran species adapted to a semiarid environment with a narrow geographic distribution.
The known diversity of treefrogs of the genus
has rapidly increased in recent years, currently comprising 14 species. Recent field work in the Atlantic Rainforest of the state of Bahia lead to the ...discovery of a new large species of
which is herein described based on multiple evidence including morphological, acoustical and genetic data.
sp. nov. is one of the largest species within the genus and presents immaculate yellowish dorsum and limbs. The advertisement call of the species is composed of 7-31 notes (half pulsed/pulsatile-half harmonic) with frequency-modulated harmonics.
sp. nov. has a karyotype of 2
= 22 chromosomes, as also found in other species of the genus. Genetic distance values of the 16S mitochondrial rRNA among
sp. nov. and its congeners range between 6.4 to 10.2%. The description of another new species for this state reinforces the need for further taxonomic work with
in this region that has been revealed as a priority area for research and conservation of this genus.
The genus Aparasphenodon is restricted to South America and comprises five poorly studied species which present a straight relationship with bromeliads. Herein we present the reproductive biology of ...the species Aparasphenodon arapapa. Our observations indicate that A. arapapa is a prolonged breeder, reproducing throughout the year using bromeliads as a calling and breeding site. The tadpoles complete their development inside those plants. Males, females and juveniles may also use the bromeliads as a shelter. We also describe the courtship behavior and the parental care of the species with an evidence of temporary fidelity between male and female and propose a new reproductive mode.
ABSTRACT We evaluated how seasonality affects the frequency and intensity of fin-nipping, as well as the fish prey preferences of Serrasalmus maculatus Kner, 1858. The study took place in a small ...reservoir of the Ribeirão Claro River basin, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Fish were sampled monthly from July 2003 to June 2004, using gillnets. Sampling consisted of leaving 50 m of gillnets in the water for approximately 24 hours each month. No seasonal variation in the frequency and intensity of fin-nipping was observed. Among six prey species, piranhas displayed less damage in their fins, possibly due to intraspecific recognition. Under natural conditions, the caudal fins of Cyphocharax modestus (Fernández-Yépez, 1948) were the most intensively mutilated, which suggests multiple attacks on the same individual. The size of individuals in this species was positively correlated with the mutilated area of the fin, whereas no such correlation was observed for Astyanax altiparanae Garutti ampamp; Britski, 2000 and Acestrorhynchus lacustris (Lütken, 1875). The high number of mutilated fish under natural conditions strongly suggests that the relationship between S. maculatus and its prey is more akin to parasitism than to predation. If mutilated fins negatively affect the ability of prey to swim, the spread of S. maculatus might result in an unnatural impact on prey fish assemblages and population structure after damming.
Scinax camposseabrai was allocated into the Scinax ruber clade by Caramaschi & Cardoso (2006) by overall similarities as snout not pointed, breeding in open areas, and an advertisement calls with ...multipulsed notes. This assumption about the call was based solely on an onomatopoeia provided by Bokermann (1968). Herein we provide a formal description of the advertisement call of S. camposseabrai and compare it with described calls of other S. ruber clade species. Additionally, we provide descriptions of the advertisement calls of three sympatric species of the S. ruber clade: S. eurydice (Bokermann), S. pachycrus (Miranda-Ribeiro) and S. cf. x-signatus.
We present a list of amphibian species from Serra do Brejo Novo, municipality of Jequié, state of Bahia in Brazil, a transition zone between the Caatinga and the Atlantic Forest that encompasses a ...great diversity of species and reproductive modes. Between November 2009 and April 2010 we surveyed the area using pitfall traps and between August 2010 and February 2012 data was collected using active search methodology. We recorded 32 species belonging to seven families. The unexpected composition of species and reproductive modes of this community highlight the importance of species inventories and also the need for exploring transitional areas to understand the ecological mechanisms responsible for changes in community structures between different zones.
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