Reproductive activity patterns of anurans in two different altitudinal sites within the Brazilian Caatinga

Reproductive activity patterns of anurans in two different altitudinal sites within the Brazilian Caatinga

Cristina Arzabe^*

Curso de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná. Caixa Postal 19020, 81531-990 Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil

ABSTRACT

Six different categories of breeding sites were investigated from August 1989 to July 1990 at São José do Bonfim (240 m above sea level) and Maturéia (770 m above sea level), two sites localized in the Brazilian Caatinga (State of Paraíba). A severe drought affected these areas during the study. Even so, calling males, nests and/or tadpoles of 20 species from 5 families were found. Leptodactylidae was the most numerous family, with nine species distributed among five genera. In Maturéia, due to the low evapo-transpiration rates, less variation of water levels was observed. Males of hylids and leptodactylids began their calling activities together, whereas at São José do Bonfim leptodactylids began their calling activities first. Thus, at Maturéia high concentrations of individuals and large choruses were found at the beginning of the rainy season, whereas in São José do Bonfim high concentrations were found later. Although up to eleven synchronously calling species were recorded in São José do Bonfim and up to ten synchronously calling species in Maturéia, egg masses and tadpoles of few species were found at both study sites, suggesting that some species may vocalize but do not reproduce in adverse periods.

Key words: Anurans, Caatinga, activity patterns, unpredictable environment.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I am greatly indebted to Dr. A.J. Cardoso

(in memoriam),

under whose supervision this study was conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Science degree of Universidade Federal do Paraná. I thank R.F. Virginio for providing assistance during the initial phase of the field work. I especially gives thanks for generous support provided by Inês Jerônimo Xavier (Maturéia), Dr. Antonio de Barros (São José do Bonfim), and Cleide Pessoa Lopes (Patos, Paraíba). I thank Drs C.F.B. Haddad (UNESP, Rio Claro) and Vinalto Graf (UFPR) for their suggestions and comments on the Portuguese manuscript and Drs M.G. Perotti (CRILAR/CONICET, UNLAR, Argentina) and W.R. Heyer (Smithsonian Institution, USA) for critical reviews of the English manuscript and encouragement. Important corrections and helpful comments were made by two anonymous reviewers. I thank J.I. Themen for checking the English language. This work was funded by grant from CAPES.

Recebido em 20.IV.1998; aceito em 27.VIII.1999.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  15 June 2009
• Date of issue
  1999

History

• Accepted
  27 Aug 1999
• Received
  20 Apr 1998