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HYLA ARENICOLOR (Canyon Treefrog). FEEDING ATTEMPT.

Article  in  Herpetological Review · December 2014

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Jorge Alberto Bañuelos-Alamillo Rubén Alonso Carbajal Márquez

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 NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 679

Juan. 232 pp.) and information on its egg clutches is limited to two month that marks the beginning of the warmer and rainy period)
observations: egg clutches having four and five eggs, one clutch we found 11 egg clutches (total = 83 eggs). The large number
having eggs with a mean diameter of 4.39 mm (N = 3 eggs); and of egg clutches recovered in May suggest that peak breeding
both egg clutches being found inside curled leafs of Cecropia in this species may coincide with the onset of the warm, rainy
peltata or “yagrumo” (Joglar et al. 2005. Herpetol. Rev. 36:433– season. Therefore, egg clutch production by E. wightmanae may
434). Anecdotal accounts refer to male parental care (Townsend follow a seasonal pattern similar to that in other Puerto Rican
1996. In Powell and Henderson [eds.], Contributions to the West Eleutherodactylus with the exception of the ground-dwelling
Indian Herpetology: A Tribute to Albert Schwartz, pp. 229–239. Puerto Rican Dwarf Coqui, E. unicolor, which shows the opposite
SSAR Contributions to Herpetology, Vol. 12, Ithaca, New York; pattern (reviewed by Joglar 1998, op. cit.).
Joglar et al. 2005, op. cit.). Herein, we provide data on egg clutch Extensive surveys conducted by our research team since May
characteristics, parental care, and calling sites that expands our 2014 in forested mountain areas (>13 sites) throughout Puerto
knowledge on the reproductive biology of the species. Rico revealed that the species is abundant and frequently found
This study was carried out between 31 August 2013 and 16 May at every site. However, repeated visits to a single site revealed
2014 in the rainforest of the Sierra de Cayey mountains (Cayey- substantial variation in calling intensity for this species, which
Guayama municipalities) in southern Puerto Rico (18.054405°N, may lead to false absences if acoustic surveys are not conducted
66.123019°W, datum WGS84; elev. 817 m). The major vegetative on successive nights at each site.
cover (>50% of higher plants in the study area) consists of Sierra We thank E. Agosto-Torres, Ashley Bernardi-Salinas, Sheila M.
Palm (Prestoea montana). We placed 121 plastic tubes (diameter De León-Santiago, Y. M. Flores-Rodríguez, Rayza M. Hernández-
= 23.5 mm; length = 150–170 mm) 2 m apart from each other, in Muñíz, Tessaliz Quiles-Delgado, Coralys Vicéns-López, and
each of two 20 × 20 m plots (total tubes: 242) on the forest litter Shayna Zema for their field assistance.
of the study area. The 20 × 20 m plots were approx. 200 m apart. NEFTALÍ RÍÓS-LÓPEZ, Department of Biology, University of Puerto
The tubes were used by E. wightmanae as retreat and breeding Rico-Humacao Campus, Puerto Rico 908, Humacao, 00792, Puerto Rico
sites and we collected data on clutch size, egg diameter, and (e-mail: neftali.rios@upr.edu); DANIEL DÁVILA-CASANOVA, Department
clutch shape. Mean (± SD) number of eggs per clutch = 7.04 ± 1.85 of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus,
(range: 4–11 eggs, N = 24 clutches); mean (± SD) egg diameter Avenida Barbosa y Avenida Juan Ponce De León, San Juan, 00931, Puerto
was 4.53 ± 0.65 mm (range: 4–5.8 mm, N = 15 eggs from N = 6 egg Rico (e-mail: coquidanny@gmail.com).
clutches). The most frequent shape of the egg mass was a radiating
arrangement of six eggs around a center egg, all deposited in a HYLA ARENICOLOR (Canyon Treefrog). FEEDING ATTEMPT.
single layer (Fig. 1A). Other shapes include an elongated egg mass Most species of tree frogs consume primarily invertebrates.
and eggs spread in a larger non-geometric design (Fig. 1B–C). Hyla arenicolor is known to feed on arthropods, mainly insects
Basic dorsal coloration patterns for N = 22 adults (in decreasing (Abbadié-Bisogno 2004. Unpubl. thesis. FES, Iztacala; Winter et
order of abundance) were: no obvious dorsal pattern (N = 9), al. 2007. Herpetol. Rev. 38:323). The predation of lizards by hy-
reversed comma (N = 7), reversed comma and light mid-dorsal lid frogs has been previously documented, including lizards of
line on a darker background (N = 3), dark inter orbital band on a the genus Anolis (Campbell 2007. Herpetol. Rev. 38:440; Preston
lighter background (N = 2), light colored snout region on a darker 2010. Herpetol. Rev. 41:199). To our knowledge this is the first ac-
background (N = 1). Likewise, for N = 18 hatchlings from four egg count of a predation attempt by H. arenicolor on Anolis nebulosus
clutches: no obvious dorsal pattern (N = 11), reversed comma (N = (Clouded Anole). At 1711 h on 04 December 2013, at Municipal-
6), and reversed comma and light mid-dorsal band (N = 1). When ity of Valparaiso, Zacatecas, México (22.664482°N, 103.609491°W,
patterned, recently hatched juveniles had similar coloration and datum WGS84; elev. 1874 m) an adult H. arenicolor was found
the reversed comma pattern typically found in adults (Fig. 1D–E). trying to swallow an A. nebulosus of similar size. After a few min-
On one occasion, however, we found a recently hatched juvenile utes the lizard was regurgitated, possibly because it was too large
with the pattern described above along with a mid-dorsal stripe (Fig. 1).
on a darker background (Fig. 1F) which has not been observed
in adults so far. Parental care, which is performed only by the
male, was observed in seven of the 24 egg clutches (Fig. 1G–H)
found during daytime hours (1500–1730 h). Data on calling males
were collected between 1859 h and 2115 h during the sampling
period. Calling males (N = 28) were found on vegetation at heights
between 0.0 m and 0.5 m above the ground (mean ± SD = 0.25 ±
0.14 m). Calling males were found on surfaces that included (in
decreasing order of abundance): leaves of short woody plants (8);
dry leaflets of P. montana leaves on the ground (5); dry sheaths of
P. montana leaves on the ground (4); fronds of ferns (4); leaf blades
of herbaceous plants (3 on Poaceae, also known as Gramineae);
tree trunks (2); inside curled dry sheaths of P. montana leaves on
the ground (1); and leaves of seedlings of P. montana (1).
Puerto Rico has two main seasons: a warmer rainy period
(approx. from May to late December) and a cooler dry period
(approx. from January to April). Between 31 August 2013 and 14
December 2013 we found eight egg clutches (total = 57 eggs),
while between 16 January 2014 and 14 April 2014 we found five Fig. 1. Adult Hyla arenicolor attempting to eat a similar-sized Anolis
egg clutches (total = 29 eggs). In only one visit in 16 May 2014 (a nebulosus.

Herpetological Review 45(4), 2014

 680 NATURAL HISTORY NOTES

JORGE A. BAÑUELOS ALAMILLO, Unidad Académica de Ciencias known from Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia where it occurs
Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Edificio de Biología Cam- in forest leaf litter, primarily at low altitudes of primary and sec-
pus II Ave. Preparatoria S/N Col. Agronómica, C.P. 98066, Zacatecas Zacate- ondary forests (Berry 1975. The Amphibian Fauna of Peninsular
cas, México (e-mail: j.alberto.ba@gmail.com); RUBÉN A. CARBAJAL- Malaysia. Tropical Press, Kuala Lumpur. 133 pp.; Ibrahim et al.
MÁRQUEZ, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Instituto 2008. The Common Amphibians and Reptiles of Penang Island.
Politécnico Nacional No.195 Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, C. P. 23096, La The Forestry Department of Penang, Malaysia. 116 pp.). Herein
Paz, Baja California Sur, México (e-mail: redman031@hotmail.com). we report for the first time death feigning (thanatosis) behavior
of this species as a way to avoid predation.
HYPSIBOAS BOANS (Giant Gladiator Treefrog). PREDATION. At ~2130 h on 22 November 2013, an adult L. hendricksoni
Leptophis ahaetulla is primarily a diurnal and semi‐arboreal colu- (Fig. 1A) was captured while hiding among leaf litter near a
brid that inhabits forest, and forages primarily on the ground and tree buttress at Ulu Paip Receational Forest, Kedah, Malaysia
in fallen vegetation, where its prey items are likely to be found at (5.242212°N, 100.400635°E, datum WGS84; elev. < 200 m). The
rest (Fraga et al. 2013. Guide to the Snakes of the Manaus Region, specimen was brought back to the laboratory and measured
Central Amazonia. Manaus, Editora INPA. 303 pp.). The diet con- (SVL = 46.25 mm, head width = 21.37 mm, mass = 9 g). When
sists mostly of frogs, lizards, and birds, with dietary preference approached for photographs, this specimen exhibited death-
for hylids, especially those of the genus Scinax (Albuquerque et feigning behavior. It suddenly turned its belly up, inflated
al. 2007. J. Nat. Hist. 41:1237–1243). the body, and exposed its ventral surface (Fig. 1B). The frog
At 1417 h on 30 July 2011, we observed an adult L. ahaetulla remained in this motionless position with its eyes open for
preying upon an adult Hypsiboas boans. This event occurred at about 2–3 minutes. It then turned slowly back to its normal
Reserva Biológica do Parazinho (00.875°N, 49.9875°W; datum position and crawled under dead leaves to hide. The specimen
WGS84), a fluvial island and part of the Islands of Bailique in was subsequently deposited at the School of Pharmacy,
the municipality of Macapá, and of the Amazon River basin. The Universiti Sains Malaysia (13USM-UP-LH01).
snake attacked the hylid with a bite on the head region (Fig. 1). I express my heartfelt gratitude to Universiti Sains
The predation event took 37 min., and the snake took 14 min. to Malaysia, Penang for all the facilities and amenities provided.
swallow its prey. Leptophis ahaetulla is considered diurnal and This project was funded by USM, Short Term Grant no. 304/
semi-arboreal, while H. boans is nocturnal and arboreal (Lima et PFARMASI/6312127.
al. 2012. Guide to the Frogs of Reserva Adolpho Ducke, Central
Amazonia. Manaus, Editora INPA. 168 pp.), suggesting that L.
ahaetulla may capture H. boans during the day when the frogs
are inactive.

Fig. 1. Leptophis ahaetulla trying to swallow a Hypsiboas boans in

Reserva Biológica do Parazinho, municipality of Macapá, North Brazil.

CECILE S. GAMA, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas

do Estado do Amapá, Brazil (e-mail: cecilegama@hotmail.com); CARLOS
E. COSTA-CAMPOS, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Departamento de
Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratório de Herpetologia, Campus Mar-
co Zero, 68903-419, Macapá, AP, Brazil (e-mail: eduardocampos@unifap.br).

LEPTOBRACHIUM HENDRICKSONI (Spotted Litter Frog).

DEATH FEIGNING. Amphibians are common prey items for a
wide range of predators. To escape predation they employ vari-
ous defensive behaviors such as death feigning, stiff-leggedness, Fig. 1. An adult Leptobrachium hendricksoni from Kedah, Malaysia.
lung inflation, mouth gaping, and body raising (Toledo et al. A) Normal posture. B) Death feigning behavior.
2011. Ethol. Ecol. Evol. 23:1–25). Leptobrachium hendricksoni is

Herpetological Review 45(4), 2014

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