Facultative Nest Construction in the Gladiator Frog Hyla rosenbergi (Anura: Hylidae)

Abstract

The egg-laying basins and basin dynamics of the gladiator frog Hyla rosenbergi were studied in southeastern Costa Rica from May to August 1995. The majority of basins with calling males inside were water-filled puddles or cattle footprints; only 29% of the basins were male-constructed nests. Basin occupation time was generally short, lasting on average 1.5 days. Up to two different males used a single basin consecutively, but the proportion of reused basins was very low (15%), which is explained by the high number of available basins at the study sites.