Breeding activity patterns, reproductive modes, and habitat use by anurans (Amphibia) in a seasonal environment in the Pantanal, Brazil

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Prado ◽  
Masao Uetanabaro ◽  
Célio Haddad

AbstractAnnual patterns of breeding activity, reproductive modes, and habitat use are described for a frog community in a seasonal environment, in the southern Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Data were collected monthly between January 1995 and December 1998. A total of 24 species from four families; Bufonidae (3 species), Hylidae (10 species), Leptodactylidae (9 species), and Microhylidae (2 species) were registered. Three reproductive activity patterns are recognized among these species: continuous, explosive, and prolonged; 50% of the species were explosive breeders. Seasonal pattern of reproduction was verified for three analyzed years (1995-1997); most species reproduced during the rainy season (Nov-Jan). The reproduction was aseasonal in 1998; unexpected rains in the dry season lead to an unusual breeding activity. Five reproductive modes were noted — 62.5% of the species have the generalized aquatic mode, and 33.3% deposit eggs embedded in foam nests. Many species used the same sites for reproduction, although temporal partitioning and calling site segregation was observed. The occurrence of many species that exhibit explosive breeding early in the rainy season is common in seasonal and open environments with variable and unpredictable rainfall, as is the case in the Pantanal.

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerlinde Höbel

AbstractEleutherodactylus fitzingeri were studied during the dry and rainy seasons at an Atlantic lowland rainforest in Costa Rica. The frogs had one of three dorsal colour patterns (mottled, striped, uniform) and one of two ventral colour patterns (white, yellow). Males had significantly more often a yellow venter than females. Juveniles with a white belly were significantly smaller than juveniles with a yellow belly. Males perched higher than females and juveniles. Perch height in males did not vary with the time of day, weather conditions or behaviour. Calling males used more sheltered perches than silent males, and males calling by day used more sheltered perches than males calling by night. Reproductive activity increased greatly at the onset of the rainy season. Males showed little site attachment.


2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cínthia Aguirre Brasileiro ◽  
Ricardo J. Sawaya ◽  
Mara C. Kiefer ◽  
Marcio Martins

The Cerrado encompasses ca. 2 million km² in Brazil. Most Cerrado areas have been greatly disturbed in the past decades. Only 20% of this biome remain undisturbed, and only 1.2% is protected. Knowledge on the biology and diversity of Cerrado amphibian assemblages is still incipient. Here we present natural history information (habitat use and reproductive activity) of 28 species of frogs from the Estação Ecológica de Itirapina (EEI), and compare the composition of this assemblage with those of other Cerrado areas, other open areas, and a few forest areas throughout Brazil. We demonstrate that the Itirapina assemblage is more similar to those of other open areas than to those of forests, even when the latter are geographically closer. Six species occurred in the gallery forest at varying levels of dependence (three independent, two semi-dependent, and one totally dependent) while all other species occurred exclusively in open areas. For most species at EEI, reproduction was strongly synchronized with the onset of the rainy season, with the exception of Hypsiboas lundii, which called throughout the year, and Proceratophrys sp. which started calling prior to the beginning of the rainy season. The spatial and temporal patterns observed in this assemblage seem to reflect both ecological (e. g. hydroperiod of water bodies) and historical factors (e. g. early breeding in leptodactylids, late breeding in hylids, both phylogenetically constrained).


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Bardier ◽  
N. Martínez-Latorraca ◽  
J.L. Porley ◽  
S.V. Bortolini ◽  
N. Cabrera Alonzo ◽  
...  

Estimates of demographic parameters are scarce for Neotropical amphibians, a concerning fact because this region has the highest proportion of threatened amphibians in the world. We conducted a 3-year study where we applied a robust capture–mark–recapture design to assess the importance of breeding and non-breeding activity patterns over the survival rates, detection probabilities, and abundances of the Montevideo Redbelly Toad (Melanophryniscus montevidensis (Philippi, 1902)), a threatened anuran from Uruguay. The best models grouped seasons into hot and cold periods cyclically, were state-dependent in transition probabilities, and were time-dependent in detection probabilities for adults, but had constant detection probabilities for juveniles. Averaged estimates suggest a high survivorship rate during cold seasons (above 80%), but lower probabilities (below 60%) during hot seasons, especially for males. Analogously, the non-breeding activity had a seasonal pattern, with higher activity during spring and higher sheltering rates during autumn. These activity rates negatively influenced the averaged survivorship rates of adult males and females. Long-term (matrix) projections of seasonal survivorships, along with assessments of the causes of these patterns, should be carried out to determine extinction probabilities and possible threats for the conservation of the genus Melanophryniscus.


Biotropica ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Fenton ◽  
N. G. H. Boyle ◽  
T. M. Harrison ◽  
D. J. Oxley

2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC. Pontes ◽  
RT. Santori ◽  
FC. Gonçalves e Cunha ◽  
JAL. Pontes

Rocky seashores are low granitic hills distributed along the southeastern Brazilian coast with xeric-like vegetation due to the shallow soil. Knowledge on amphibian communities and their reproductive patterns is especially reduced on this kind of environment. Herein, we present a framework of two years monitoring an amphibian community at a rocky seashore environment located at the protected area of Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, municipality of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We conducted diurnal and nocturnal searches for frogs in tank bromeliads, rocky surface and shrubby vegetation. Annual pattern of breeding activity of anurans was also estimated. Individuals of the most abundant tank-bromeliad, Alcantarea glaziouana were collected and measured according to several variables to understanding the selection of bromeliads by frogs. We checked the influence of the environmental conditions on amphibian abundance, association between the bromeliads measures, and the water storage in the tank. We recorded the species: Scinax aff. x-signatus; S. cuspidatus; S. littoreus; Thoropa miliaris and Gastrotheca sp. Bromeliads were the preferential habitat used by anurans. The nocturnal habit was predominant for all species and during diurnal searches, the specimens were found sheltered in bromeliads axils. The number of calling males as well as amphibian abundance was associated with the rainiest and warmest period of the year. The species S. littoreus was observed in breeding activity in the majority of sample period. Adult calling males of T. miliaris were observed especially in the rainy season. Rainfall and temperature combined are positively correlated to the total number of captured amphibians. However, individually, rainfall was not significantly correlated, while temperature was positively correlated with the amphibian abundance. Water storage capacity by bromeliads was correlated to characteristics and size of the plant. In the rainy season, the height of the plant and the diameter on top view were correlated with the occurrence of amphibians, while during the driest period there was no correlation among variables and the bromeliad usage by amphibians. Recorded species were strongly associated to the Atlantic Forest domain. Nevertheless, the occupation of rocky seashores by anurans may be more associated with the specialized reproductive modes presented by species, since there is no permanent water available in ponds or streams.


2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 516-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almério de Castro Gomes ◽  
Marcia Bicudo de Paula ◽  
Delsio Natal ◽  
Sabina Léa Davidson Gotlieb ◽  
Luis Filipe Mucci

INTRODUCTION: Study of the temporal activity of malaria vectors during the implantation of a hydroelectric power station on the River Paraná, intended to generate electrical energy. The river separates the States of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, in Brazil. The objective was to verify whether alterations occurred in the wealth and diversity indices of Anopheles, following two successive floods, extended to the temporal activity and nycthemeral rhythm followed over a five year period. METHODS: Mosquito capture was performed monthly using the Human Attraction Technique and Shannon Traps. The first, executed for 24h, provided the nycthemeral rhythm and the second, lasting 15h, permitted the tracking of Anopheles during the two floods. RESULTS: The bimodal pattern of Anopheles darlingi defined before these floods was modified throughout the environment interventions. The same effect had repercussions on the populations of An albitarsis s.l., An triannulatus and An galvaoi. Activity prior to twilight was less affected by the environment alterations. CONCLUSIONS: The dam construction provoked changes in Anopheles temporal activity patterns, permitting classification of the area as an ecologically steady and unstable situation. Differences observed in Anopheles behavior due to the capture methods revealed the influence of solo and multiple attractiveness inside the populations studied.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Yudi Fujimoto ◽  
Edilene Santos Almeida ◽  
Daniel Guerreiro Diniz ◽  
Jorge Costa Eiras ◽  
Mauricio Laterça Martins

The objective of this work was to report the first seasonal occurrence of the acanthocephalan Quadrigyrus nickoliSchmidt & Hugghins, 1973(Quadrigyridae), in the “Mato Grosso”Hyphessobrycon eques (Characidae) (Steindachner, 1882), collected from the Chumucuí River, state of Pará, Brazil. The fish were collected between July 2006 (rainy season) and June 2007 (dry season) and were examined for parasites using pattern techniques. A total of 75 parasites were found in the stomach and intestine. Among 83 fish examined (50 in the dry season and 33 in the rainy season), 22 were parasitized by cystacanths of Q. nickoli. The importance of H. eques as a paratenic host for Q. nickoli is discussed. This is the first study on the biology of and infection by Q. nickoli occurring in the eastern Amazon region.


Rodriguésia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 721-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzana Neves Moreira ◽  
Arnildo Pott ◽  
Vali Joana Pott ◽  
Geraldo Alves Damasceno-Junior

Abstract This is the first report on aquatic macrophytes in ponds of veredas (palm swamps) in the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna). We studied a pond in a vereda in Terenos, Mato Grosso do Sul state, central-western Brazil, during drought and flood periods to assess plant community structure and the relationship between species distribution and water depth. Sampling was carried out in five permanent transects, along which we placed sampling units of 1 m2 quadrats every 5 m. We estimated visually the relative cover of each species, bare ground, dead matter, and exposed water. We also measured water depth. We recorded 77 species of 49 genera and 31 families. The number of species varied between seasons, and in the rainy season the amphibious life form was predominant. The richest families were Poaceae (15 species), Cyperaceae (11), Asteraceae (4) and Lentibulariaceae (4). The richest genera were Rhynchospora (4), Utricularia (4), Eleocharis (4), Aeschynomene (3), Bacopa (3), Ludwigia (3) and Panicum (3). We found six new occurrences for the cerrado. Eleocharis acutangula had the highest relative cover (rainy and dry seasons), followed by Bacopa reflexa (rainy season), Paspalum lenticulare (rainy and dry seasons), Leersia hexandra (rainy and dry seasons), and Sagittaria rhombifolia (rainy season). Some species were distributed mainly at shallower depths, others occurred in deeper water, whereas some species varied greatly in terms of depth. Heliotropium filiforme and Ludwigia nervosa were found only in the dry season. In the rainy season, as expected, the exclusive species were mostly true aquatics.


2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Octavio Monroy-Vilchis ◽  
Vicente Urios ◽  
Martha Zarco-González ◽  
Clarita Rodríguez-Soto

AbstractIn this study the habitat use and activity patterns of the two of the largest cats of the Americas in central Mexico were studied. Three ways to detect felid presence were employed from August 2002 to May 2006: interviews, signs, and camera-traps. 478 records were obtained, from which 441 were from cougar and 37 from jaguar. These records included positive response in 118 of 140 interviews and 236 records of signs (mainly tracks and scats), and 124 photographs. Both felids preferred pine-oak forest habitats, with altitudes higher than 1800 m, distances between 3509 and 4377 m from roads, between 2329 and 4650 m from settlements, and distances to very steep slopes between 1048 and 2059 m, for jaguar, and for cougar lower than 1047 m. Jaguar activity was recorded mainly during nighttimes, between 0:00 and 6:00, whereas cougar was active between 4:00 and 6:00 and between 18:00 and 22:00 hours, avoiding the jaguar's principal activity period.


1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald G. Eckstein ◽  
Thomas F. O'Brien ◽  
Orrin J. Rongstad ◽  
John G. Bollinger

The effects of snowmobile traffic on the winter home-ranges, movements, and activity patterns, of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), were studied during two winters in northern Wisconsin. There were no significant differences in home-range size and habitat use of the Deer in areas with and without snowmobiling. However, snowmobiling caused some Deer to leave the immediate vicinity of the snowmobile trail. Deer were most affected when they were within 61 m of the snowmobile trail.


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