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A new reproductive mode for an Australian hylid frog PDF

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Preview A new reproductive mode for an Australian hylid frog

200 MEMOIRS OFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM AAUSNTERWALIRAENPRHOYDLUICDTFIRVOEG.MOMDemEoirFsORof AthNe 2t.h1e6n,igShDtb0e.f1o2r6e).mTeahseucrleeamre,njtelrlayn-lgiekdefcraopsmu2l.e0s-u2r.r4omunmdi(nmgetahne QueenslandMuseum 34(1)200. 7995>Therarefrog,LiYona eggwasapproximately6mmdeep. longirostris. was described (Tyler& Davies, 1977) fromsix Amplexus was not observed. Females near calling males specimens collected from the headwaters of the Rocky R., were observed with lime coloured eggs visible through the McllwraithRa., Cape YorkPeninsula, FNEQ. Collectorsof groinskin.Hatchingtadpoleswerelightyellow,withareasof thetypeseriesobservedaclumpof‘bluish-grayeggs* 30cm brownonthedorsum andlimegreenyolkintheabdomen. abovewaterlevelonatreebuttress,butdidnotknowwhether L. longirostris (66) called from leaves over water, or ornottheywereeggsofL longirostris. occasionallyfromvegetationwithin2mofthewater.Calling Aspartofasurveytodeterminethestatusofdecliningand sites were from33.0- 211.0cm (mean 100.84, SD50.79, n possiblydecliningfrogs,wevisitedtheMcllwraithRa.,from 45) abovethe substrate. Twomaleswereheardcallingfrom 14- ISSeptember. 1993.OnthebanksofPeachCk(13°44’S, the upper surface of the frond of L ramsayi at estimated 143”20’E)andLeoCk (13°22’S, 143“22'E).inanotophyll heightsof3.5and5.0m. vine forest, we found nests, eggs and embryos of L lon- L longirostris was located with L eucnemis aixl Rana girostris. Four nests were guarded by L. longirostris which daemelii near streams. Sphenophryne gracilipes and straddledthenests.Eggsandembryoswerelimegreen. Cophixaluscrepitattsoccurredinleaflitterinadjacentareas. Twentythreeeggmasseswerefoundondrysubstrateabove This mode of reproduction is unique amongst Australian thewater,ontrunksofWaterGum(Tristaniopsisexciliflora) frogs (Tyler, 1985). Similar reproductive modes have been (7);RainforestSatinash{Syzigiumsp.)(2);ongraniterocksin describedfromNewGuineaandSouthAmerica(Duellman& Leo Ck (8); under leaves of rainforest shrubs (2), a living Trueb, 1986). Licuala ramsayipalm frond (I); deadL. ramsayifronds(2); andontheuppersurfaceofafrondofCyathearebeccae Acknowledgments Eggshadbeenlaidfrom4.5-U7.5cmabovethewater(mean Bruce Gray, CSIRO, Atherton provided information on 26.36, SD26.54, n 22) in areas where waterdepth immedi- previous observations ofL. longirostris. Mike Delaney and ately below egg masses varied from 2.0 - 71.0 cm (mean staff of the Queensland Department of Environment and 22.26,SD 18.69, n 20). Allbutone wereassociatedwithstill Heritage,Coen providedassistance inthefield, waterpools. Pool depths rangedfrom 15.5- 120.0cm(mean 49.74, SD 36.06. n 17). The exception (on the C rebeccae Literaturecited frond) hung overgentlyflowing water. Sizeofpools ranged Duellman, W.E. & Trueb, L. 1986. ‘Biology ofamphibians’. from0.5madjacenttofastflowingstreams,toapproximately (McGraw-Hill BookCompany: NewYork).670pp. 10 m in streams with gentle (<!'*) gradients.Streams varied Tyler,M.J. 1985.ReproductivemodesinAustralianamphibia. from gently sloping (<1°) with numerous pools and sandy Pp265-267.InGrigg,G.,ShineR.&Ehmann,H.(eds), substrate(upperPeachCk)tofastflowingrockystreams(Leo ‘Biology of Australasian frogs and reptiles’. (Surrey Ck).Conductivityofthewatersofthecreeksrangedfrom48.2 Beatty&SonsPtyLtd:ChippingNorton,NSW).527pp. -79.2p,S/cm(n6) pHfrom6.05-6.59(n6). Tyler, M.J. & Davies, M. 1977. A new speciesofhylid frog Egg masseswere;laidwiththelongest axis vertical forall fromnorthernAustralia.Copeia 1977:620-623. clutches(range29-45 mm, mean35.9,SD4.925,n 20)and mm the width at the widest section ranged from 8.5 - 25.0 K.R. McDonald, QueenslandDeparttnentofEnviron- (mean 16.43,SD3.27, n20).Theheightoftheeggmasswith ment and Heritage, PO Box 834, Atherton, developingembryosrangedfrom0.9- 1.2mm(n10)andwith Queensland, 4883; D.L. Storch, WildlifeEnforcement, recentlylaideggs,5mm(n 1). Eggnumbersrangedfrom29- Queensland Department of Environment and 60(mean40.86,SD6.896,n22).Thediameterof10eggslaid Heritage, POBox2066, Cairns, Queensland, 4870.

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