Spatial and temporal organization in three syntopic species of the Scinax ruber group (Anura: Hylidae) in the Atlantic rainforest,southeastern Brazil

Coexistence of anuran species might lead to acoustic interference among communications, especially where species are closely related. This problem might be minimized through resource partitioning. To test this idea, we analysed calling with respect to temporal and physical space usage in three syntopic, closely related species (Scinax cuspidatus, Scinax aff. hayii and Scinax aff. x-signatus) in a temporary pond in the Atlantic rainforest. The chorus attendance of each species resulted from a different combination of factors in the rainy season. Although there was some temporal overlap of daily activity among species, peak activity time differed, particularly between the two species whose calls were most similar. Although all three species tend to aggregate in open microhabitats, their coexistence is apparently facilitated by differential use of vertical strata and organization of calling sites near the sites of conspecifics. Together, these factors apparently reduce acoustic interference among heterospecific calls.     

Year-round activity patterns in a hyperdiverse community of rainforest amphibians in Madagascar

Madagascar hosts a high diversity of amphibians estimated at over 500 species, nearly all of them endemic. Surprisingly few data are available on the activity cycles of this fauna, despite its importance for ecological, evolutionary and conservation research. Here we report the results of a year-round survey of amphibians along a transect bordering the Analamazaotra forest near Andasibe in central eastern Madagascar. During 120 transect walks evenly spaced through the year, a total of 2530 individuals of 40 species of anurans was observed. Abundance was higher during the warm/rainy season (December to April) and peaked in February. Of the five climatic predictors measured, only mean temperature and relative humidity showed high importance values, and multi-model averages indicate that these two variables have a strong effect on amphibian abundance along the transect. Species richness showed no evident peak during the study period and was best explained by a model including average temperature and rainfall. Canonical correspondence analysis indicates that Boophis sibilans, B. tephraeomystax, B. boehmei and Plethodontohyla notosticta were more frequently encountered along the transect on cold and humid days while Plethodontohyla mihanika, Gephyromantis boulengeri and Spinomantis aglavei were distinctly more abundant on cold and dry days, and Paradoxophyla palmata on warm and dry days. The results of our study flag a number of species as suitable candidates for future monitoring initiatives and suggest that a simple combination of visual and acoustic surveys can estimate amphibian activity with high sample sizes in Madagascar’s rainforests.     

Life History of Western Ghats endemic and threatened Anuran – Matheran leaping frog, (Indirana leithii) with notes on its feeding preferences

The species Indirana leithii (Anura: Ranixalidae) is endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India and is distributed between latitudes 16°N and 21°N in this region. The tadpoles of this species have been previously studied for their morphology and feeding behaviour; however, their natural history is still not completely understood. In the current study, we provide information about the mating behaviour, egg laying and metamorphosis of the species. We observed that the species possesses reproductive mode number 19 as these frogs lay eggs inside the natural cavities of vertical rock surfaces near streams and waterfalls and their tadpoles are adapted for adhering to the wet rock surface, where they feed on algae (including diatoms) growing in seepage on the rocks. Interestingly, there is no audible calling or territory guarding involved during the courtship behaviour. This has been observed for the first time in any Indian anuran. We also provide data on food preferences of adults and tadpoles.     

Reproductive site selection in the leaf-frog Phyllomedusa azurea Cope, 1862 (Anura: Hylidae) in altered areas of the Brazilian Cerrado

The selection of reproductive sites by anurans may be associated with each species’ behavioural restrictions, reproductive modes, morphology and physiology. We investigated the use of reproductive sites by Phyllomedusa azurea in an area of Cerrado, Central-Western Brazil, which has been modified by agricultural and cattle ranching. Reproductive activity was studied during the peak of the rainy season in two consecutive years. No correlation was found between male body size and position of the calling site, and calling sites did not vary among ponds. Conversely, the height and distance from the water margin where clutches were found varied among ponds. Phyllomedusa azurea used mainly Brachiaria sp. and Brachiaria humidicola grasses as calling sites and the grass Brachiaria sp. and the shrub Melochia villosa (Malvaceae) as oviposition sites. Calling males used the vegetation according to its availability; however, individuals seemed to exhibit significant preferences regarding the type of vegetation used for oviposition.     

Tegmina-size variation in a Neotropical cricket with implications on spectral song properties

This study evaluates the relationship between shape and size of tegmen, harp, mirror, and spectral range of calling song frequency of a Neotropical cricket subpopulation (Lerneca inalata beripocone. In addition, we compare intraspecific morphological divergence and calling song properties between individuals from different sites of the Pantanal of Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Regression analysis showed that the dominant and maximum calling song frequencies were negatively correlated with tegmen size, i.e. frequencies are either lower or higher depending on the corresponding size variation in resonance structures of the forewings. Canonical variable analysis demonstrated marked intraspecific differences in morphometric characters between localities of a L. inalata subpopulation c. 35 km apart (SESC-Pantanal Advanced Research Base and Pouso Alegre Farm, Mato Grosso, Brazil). Lerneca inalata beripocone at SESC had larger forewings than conspecifics from Pouso Alegre Farm. These morphological variations of wing properties related to reproductive behaviours were interpreted as fitness parameters, likely shaped by restricted gene flow during temporal habitat isolation episodes. Such isolation patterns occur in the Pantanal wetlands for several months during the annual hydrological cycle.     

A long-term survey of spring monarch butterflies in north-central Florida

Long-term springtime counts of immature and adult monarch butterflies and their Asclepias humistrata host plants in north-central Florida reveal a close relationship between the milkweed’s phenology and the butterfly’s spring remigration from Mexico. Remigrant adults arrive after most frosts occur and as the milkweeds are flourishing but before the plants begin to senesce. The peak of adult arrival is during the first few days in April; the eggs that are laid during this peak develop through April, leading to a second peak in adult abundance in early May. These newly emerged adults continue the migration northward. In addition to assessing the phenology of annual events, our long-term survey, with regular monitoring from 1994–2017, has enabled us to evaluate long-term trends. Both adults and immatures have declined in abundance from 1985 to 2017; since 2005, both have declined by around 80%. This decline has occurred concurrently with the decline in the number of monarchs at their Mexican overwintering sites.     

Acoustic ecology of an anuran assemblage in the arid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil

Differences in advertisement calls and calling sites are important mechanisms that regulate interactions in anuran assemblages. Individuals might have preferences for ranges of acoustic parameters and calling sites that reduce overlap and ensure coexistence. Herein, acoustic and ecological data were used to investigate the relationships among 12 anurans that co-occur in temporary ponds in the Caatinga, Cabaceiras municipality, Paraíba state, Brazil. Anurans exhibited calling activity correlated with rainfall, but were also spatially dispersed. High overlap levels in calling microhabitats and acoustic parameters were observed, especially among pairs of closely related species. Analysis of null models showed a lack of structure in the spatial and acoustic niche, indicating the lack of detected competition. Results suggest that the calling activity of the species is strongly influenced by rainfall, moreover, the temporal partition appears to ensure coexistence. Finally, strong historical effects were detected in Leiuperinae, Leptodactylidae and in the partition Hylidae–Leptodactyliformes.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of breeding anurans in streams in southeastern Brazil

Anuran communities were studied at eight permanent forest streams located in a preserved site in southeastern Brazil, from August 2003 to October 2004. Nineteen species were recorded in six families: Bufonidae (two), Centrolenidae (one), Cycloramphidae (one), Hylidae (12), Hylodidae (two), and Leiuperidae (one). Twelve species exhibited calling activities during the study period and 10 of these were assumed to be reproductively active. The number of species present in streams was negatively related to stream volume. The composition of anuran assemblages was related to stream volume and structural complexity of the streamside habitat. Levels of dissimilarity between anuran communities from different streams were not related to the geographical distance separating these streams. Rainfall and mean monthly temperatures were not related to anuran species diversity per month, which may be due to forested sites providing appropriate conditions for reproduction for many species year‐round and favouring anuran species with long breeding periods. The results obtained indicate that streams of varied sizes, as well as streamside habitats, should be preserved in order to maintain anuran diversity.     

Aspects of the life history and reproductive biology of the introduced terrestrial amphipod Arcitalitrus dorrieni (Hunt) at two sites in Co. Galway,Ireland

The reproductive biology of Arcitalitrus dorrieni (Hunt) was investigated over a period of 25 months at a deciduous and a coniferous forest site at Kylemore, Co. Galway, Ireland. The species has an annual, univoltine reproductive cycle with ovigerous females found throughout the year. Recruitment of juveniles begins in May–June with a peak of reproductive activity in August–September. The populations at each site show a bimodal size-distribution for most of the year, with a unimodal distribution in March, April and May. Mortality occurs exponentially, and the life-span is 20–22 months. Mean fecundity was 5·65 eggs per female and was dependent on female size, egg size and brood stage. Brood mortality was 37·5% at Addergoole and 29·8% at Tullywee Bridge.     

Description and ecology of a new species of sun spider (Arachnida: Solifugae) from the Brazilian Cerrado

A new species of solifuge from São Paulo State, south-eastern Brazil, is described, together with its phenology, habitat use, activity pattern and the effect of fire on the population. Mummucia coaraciandu n. sp. differs from other Mummuciidae in cheliceral dentition and pleurite coloration. Over a one-year period, 649 individuals of M. coaraciandu were captured in 72 pitfall traps distributed in three Cerrado physiognomies: borders of gallery forest (N=53), campo sujo (N=561) and campo cerrado (N=35). The species is diurnal and showed two peaks of surface activity during the year: the highest peak occurred in the cold–dry season (June to July) and the smaller peak in the middle of the warm–wet season (December to February). The number of individuals per trap was negatively correlated with the mean monthly temperature, but showed no correlation with the monthly precipitation. The sex ratio was male-biased (7:1) and the number of males trapped was positively correlated with the number of reproductive females. More individuals were trapped in burned areas when compared with unburned areas 1 month after the fire. This difference between the two areas was not observed 1 month before and 3–4 months after the passage of the fire (when the vegetation had recovered). Mummucia coaraciandu is the second solifuge described from the Brazilian Cerrado and its ecology is very similar to that of Mummucia mauryi from Caatinga vegetation.     

A study of the anatomy of Pupa and Maxacteon (Acteonidae,Opisthobranchia), with an account of the breeding cycle of Pupa kirki

Summary

The external features, mantle cavity, reproductive system and nervous system of Pupa kirki (Hutton, 1873) and three species of Maxacteon Rudman, 1971 are described and compared with Acteon tornatilis (L). It is suggested that the reproductive system of Pupa and Maxacteon, with two accessory sacs, the gametolytic sac and an exogenous sperm sac, is more primitive than that of Acteon tornatilis.

The breeding cycle of Pupa kirki shows that the species has a basic annual cycle, a few specimens surviving for two years.     

Seasonality in some British intertidal Acari

The life cycles of halacarid and non-halacarid littoral Acari are examined, and the results compared with those of other workers. All species can carry out one life cycle in approximately 12 months, with the exception of the genus Isobactrus (Halacaridae) which may have two or more generations per annum. Species exposed to heavy wave action have mechanisms to reduce juvenile mortality, including larval retention, and/or larviparity, extended periods of oviposition to optimize losses as a result of wave action, and niche protection of juveniles. However, these adaptations are preadaptations, because similar mechanisms exist among related species in less stressful environments. The sex ratios of some species follow an annual cycle with females dominant before and during oviposition, suggesting that they live longer than males and die after oviposition. Sex ratios among small groups of Hydrogamasus salinus (Laboulbene) (Cyrtolaelapidae: Mesostigmata) are variable, though these are relatively constant in larger aggregations.     

A herpetological survey of the Kathmandu Valley,Nepal, and phylogenetic identification of Megophrys (Xenophrys) zhangi

ABSTRACT

The herpetofauna of Nepal have been historically understudied, and although previous studies have reported on bioinventory surveys of the Kathmandu Valley, few have surveyed widely during the peak monsoon season. In addition, past studies largely neglected to survey intact forest habitats. Here we conduct a comprehensive field survey of the herpetofauna of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, with an emphasis on the surrounding foothills containing intact forest habitat. We record natural history and distribution data for seven species of amphibians and four species of reptiles. We also use mitochondrial sequence data to confirm the phylogenetic placement of two frog species, Megophrys (Xenophrys) parva and Duttaphrynus melanostictus. Using phylogenetic and morphological data we assign Megophrys parva from the Kathmandu Valley to Megophrys zhangi. We find that while this species shares a haplotype with its sister species, Megophrys monticola, morphological data align the individuals from the Kathmandu Valley with M. zhangi from Tibet. We find that M. zhangi exhibits no phylogenetic structure within the Kathmandu Valley, and wider sampling is needed throughout the Himalayas to determine its full range. These findings support the hypothesis that molecular sequence data will lead to the discovery of cryptic species in Nepal and facilitate the revision of species taxonomy.     

An austral anuran assemblage in the Neotropics: seasonal occurrence correlated with photoperiod

The study describes habitat use and temporal occurrence of calling males for an austral anuran assemblage in the Neotropics, southern Brazil. Three study sites (S1 – a permanent river and a stream, S2 – a dam and backwater, S3 – two permanent ponds periodically connected) were sampled between August 2005 and July 2006. The site S3 presented the richest and most diverse assemblage and habitat use within studied sites, and was partitioned by species groups. Richness and abundance of calling males for overall assemblage were seasonal, concentrated in spring and summer and correlated with photoperiod. Temperature, rainfall and air humidity were not correlated with the richness and abundance of calling males. Photoperiod also explained the calling seasons when species were analyzed individually. Habitat use and temporal occurrence were complementary in the partitioning of breeding resources, explaining species coexistence.     

Anuran assemblage composition and distribution at a modified environment in Três Marias reservoir,south-eastern Brazil

We assessed the influence of environmental features on anuran species distribution in Pirapitinga, an island formed by the filling of a reservoir in south-eastern Brazil. We investigated whether the species exhibited preferences towards certain habitat types and the existence of niche partitioning. We recorded 474 individuals from seven species. Although considered as generalists, these species were not distributed randomly, but according to specific habitat preferences that happened to be fulfilled by the shores of the reservoir. Niche overlaps were higher than expected by chance during the wet season, when most species were active, but not different from random during the dry season. Environmental variables seemed to be important and promote aggregation of several anuran species at the same habitats. Interspecific signals may be used for this purpose, and competition is probably small or less important than the benefits provided by choosing the most suitable habitats in this impacted environment.     

Helminths of 13 species of microhylid frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea

In an attempt to better document the invertebrate biodiversity of the threatened fauna of Papua New Guinea (PNG), 208 microhylid frogs representing 13 species collected in 2009 and 2010 in PNG were examined for endoparasitic helminths. This study found mature individuals of one species of Digenea (Opisthioglyphe cophixali), adults of two species of Cestoda (Nematotaenia hylae, Cylindrotaenia sp.) and cysticerci of an unidentified cestode species; adults of nine species of Nematoda (Aplectana krausi, Bakeria bakeri, Cosmocerca novaeguineae, Cosmocercella phrynomantisi, Falcaustra papuensis, Icosiella papuensis, Ochtoterenella papuensis, Parathelandros allisoni, Parathelandros andersoni), and one species of Acanthocephala (cystacanths in the family Centrorhynchidae). There was a high degree of endemism among the helminth species infecting the microhylids, with 83% of the species known only from PNG. Yet the helminth fauna infecting Papuan microhylids are generalists with direct life cycles (no intermediate host) that also infect other anuran species. We thus conclude infection is more dependent upon habitat conditions than diet. Twenty-nine new host records are reported.     

Anurans of a seasonally dry tropical forest: Morro do Diabo State Park,São Paulo state,Brazil

We studied the richness and composition of the anuran assemblage of Morro do Diabo State Park, the major remnant of Mesophytic Semideciduous Forest in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, through hypothesis tests. From September 2005 to March 2007 we recorded 28 anuran species, comprising a mix of Atlantic, Cerrado and South American widespread species, usually considered tolerant to anthropic modifications. The low richness of species and reproductive modes, the predominance of habitat generalist species, and the high similarity with Cerrado areas can be explained by the climatic seasonality of the studied area (a pronounced dry season), as well as its large distance from centres of anuran diversification, such as the coastal mountains of the wet Atlantic Forest.     

Life history of the spider Selenops occultus Mello‐Leitão (Araneae,Selenopidae) from Brazil with notes on the natural history of the genus

Selenopids are extremely fast‐moving, dorsoventrally flattened spiders and are among the most secretive of animals. However, they can be locally abundant, providing an opportunity to examine their life and natural histories. Here we report life history data from Selenops occultus which were studied and collected monthly for over a year at an experimental farm of São Paulo State University in Botucatu, Brazil. We compare these data with what we have found in other Selenops species in the Caribbean region. Overall, S. occultus showed considerable seasonality. Males were most common in January and March, whereas females were more common in June and November. Significant differences between the numbers of males collected during the wet and dry seasons indicate that mating may be limited to the wet season. The Caribbean species share similar natural histories to S. occultus, such as little conflict in small areas and overlapping generations throughout the year.     

Epibionts and parasites of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Metapenaeus dobsoni from Gosthani estuary

Juveniles of two species of commercially important prawns, Metapenaeus dobsoni (Miers) and Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) collected from Gosthani estuary, Bheemunipatnam near Visakhapatnam, India during the period August 1995 to August 1996 were subjected to a detailed study with a view to identifying the various species of epibionts and parasites and to monitor the seasonal changes in the occurrence and abundance of common species of ciliates and larval helminths. A wide range of protozoan and metazoan parasite species was encountered in the prawns. The protozoans were represented by epicommensal ciliates belonging to the genera Zoothamnium, Epistylis, Acineta, Vorticella, an unidentified apostome ciliate and two species of gregarines. The metazoan parasites included metacercariae of families Opecoelidae and Microphallidae, a larval cestode, a larval nematode and two species of bopyrid isopods. Altogether eight species were found infecting M. rosenbergii and 11 species infected M. dobsoni. A majority of the parasite species infected both the hosts. The peritrichous and apostome ciliates constituted the dominant members of the parasite fauna, occurring on both species of prawns as epibionts with high prevalence and density. All the other infections were rarely encountered. Infections with gregarines were restricted to M. dobsoni while those of microphallid metacercariae were found only in M. rosenbergii. Zoothamnium infections were more common on M. rosenbergii than on M. dobsoni. Apparent differences in the parasite fauna, attributed to differences in the behaviour of the two species, were noted. Seasonally Zoothamnium infections were at their peak during monsoon and post-monsoon months and these infections appear to be governed directly by salinity of the habitat and indirectly by the rainfall. Apostome ciliate infections were at their peak during the months November and February. Opecoelid metacercarial infections were confined to the period August to February, with peak during summer months.