Abstract

Geobatrachus walkeri is a frog that belongs to a monotypic genus and is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. The species inhabits different microhabitats between 2 000 to 3 500m altitude, including the leaf litter of a pine plantation. To understand its reproductive ecology, we conducted eight frog samplings, covering the rainy and dry seasons, and two habitat types (secondary native forest and pine plantation) during 2010-2011. For this study, we also included data obtained from five previous similar samplings undertaken during 2008-2009. The pine leaf litter was the main microhabitat where frogs were found; we heard choruses of six-ten calling males during all sampled months, and observed the frogs having diurnal and nocturnal activity. Regardless of the year of study, the population consisted of neonates recruited several times of the year, a large number of juveniles with a wide range of body sizes, and fewer adults with a narrower range of body size. The histological analyses of the gonads showed that the size at maturity was near 18mm SVL for males and females, and those adult males and females were reproductive active during all sampling months, suggesting a continuous reproductive activity pattern. However, during the dry season, the seminiferous tubules showed a drastically diminished spermatic epithelium although containing abundant luminal spermatozoa, which suggest a reduction in the sperm production at the end of this season. Similarly, frogs of all age categories were significantly more abundant during the early dry season, whereas were significantly less abundant with the advancement of the dryness suggesting that the intensity of the dry season could temporally stop the activity and reproduction of this population.

Highlights

  • Los anuros tienen diferentes formas de independencia del agua y de acuerdo con ellas se ha determinado la existencia de varias estrategias o modos reproductivos (Bolaños, 2003; Duellman & Trueb, 1994)

  • a frog that belongs to a monotypic genus

  • also included data obtained from five previous similar samplings undertaken during

Read more

Summary

MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS

El área de estudio se localiza en el sector de San Lorenzo, en el flanco nor-occidental de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, departamento del Magdalena, Colombia (11° 6 ́N - 74° 3 ́W). Se realizaron ocho muestreos entre los meses de mayo 2011 a enero 2012 abarcando las estaciones de lluvia (mayo a noviembre) y sequía (diciembre y enero) y los dos tipos de hábitats allí encontrados (bosque nativo secundario y plantación de pino). Se revisaron seis cuadrantes elegidos aleatoriamente por día de muestreo, tres en cada zona de vegetación (plantación de pino y bosque nativo), y rotando durante cada salida de campo la hora de muestreo de manera que se cubrieran cuadrantes durante el día y la noche. Para determinar si la cobertura vegetal, la temperatura y la humedad relativa de los microhábitats donde se encontraron las ranas es diferente entre meses de muestreo y periodos climáticos (i.e. lluvioso y seco), se emplearon pruebas de Kruskal-Wallis. Con base en los datos totales de los animales observados en cada muestreo, se graficó el tamaño de los individuos encontrados (LRC) con respecto al tiempo de muestreo y

LRC juveniles
Enero más juveniles
Findings
Promedio y rango
Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.