Herpetology Notes, volume 12: 705-708 (2019) (published online on 03 July 2019)

New records of interspecific amplexus in Neotropical anurans

Fernanda Cristina Ferreira Lirio1, Thiago Gechel Kloss2, Thiago Silva-Soares3,4, João Felipe Riva Tonini4,5,
Alexander Tamanini Mônico1,3, and Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira1,*

Successful intraspecific communication in anurans is specific (interspecific) amplexus and ultimately

dependent on species-specific aspects of morphology, decrease mating success (Marco and Lizana, 2002;
chemical signals, vocalization and sexual dimorphism Wells, 2007), because interspecific amplexus causes
(Bowcock et al., 2008). Furthermore, some anurans use loss of energy and may result in unviable hybridization
specialized behaviour to signal unwanted amplexus, (Haddad, 1994). Reports of interspecific amplexus have
such as release calls and body vibrations or inflations been documented in various Neotropical frog species
(Bowcock et al., 2008; Mollov et al., 2010; Izzo et al., especially for the Hylidae and Bufonidae families
2012). These communication cues might not always be (Hettyey and Pearman, 2003; Wells, 2007). Herein, we
effective, leading some anuran males to attempt to mate report four cases of interspecific amplexus, aiming to
with females or males of other species, and even with increase the natural history knowledge of these events
inanimate objects (e.g., Mollov et al., 2010; Moldowan in anurans of the Atlantic Forest.
et al., 2013). The urge of explosive breeders (i.e., Our observation on interspecific amplexus date from
limited days of reproductive season) to find mates is 2010 to 2017, all from the municipality of Santa Teresa
often quoted as resulting in more frequent interspecific (19.9333ºS, 40.6008ºW), Espírito Santo state, Brazil.
amplexus (Theis and Caldart, 2015; Gül et al., 2018; The matings in interspecific amplexus were visually
Guerra, et al., 2018). monitored during 15 minutes and photographed. The
In Neotropical frog assemblages, many species overlap individuals were captured for identification, but were
in breeding season resulting in large aggregation of not collected. The sex of the individuals were not
males at breeding habitats (Ferreira et al., 2012). Such determined. Taxonomic classification followed Frost
scenarios may increase the chance of non-species- (2017).
We observed four interspecific amplexus events
involving seven species of anurans: Ololygon
argyreornata (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926), Ololygon
kautskyi Carvalho-e-Silva and Peixoto, 1991, Boana
1
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ecossistemas, semilineata (Spix, 1824), Itapotihyla langsdorffii
Universidade Vila Velha, Avenida Comissão José Dantas de (Duméril and Bibron, 1841), Trachycephalus
Melo 21, Boa Vista II, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, 29102-920, mesophaeus (Hensel, 1867) (Hylidae), Haddadus
Brazil. binotatus (Spix, 1824) (Craugastoridae) and
2
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade do Estado
Physalaemus crombiei Heyer and Wolf, 1989
de Minas Gerais, Avenida Olegário Maciel 1427, Industrial,
(Leptodactylidae). All recorded interspecific pairs
Ubá, Minas Gerais, 36502-000, Brazil.
3
Programa de Capacitação Institucional, Instituto Nacional included Hylidae species (71% species). The species
da Mata Atlântica, Avenida José Ruschi 04, Santa Teresa, displayed axillary amplexus, with an individual
Espírito Santo, 29650-000, Brazil. positioned on the back of the other individual and
4
Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito grasping it under the armpits. No oviposition was
Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória, Espírito
observed during these amplexus.
Santo, 29075-910, Brazil.
On 3 July 2010 at around 20:00h, we observed
5
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum
Harvard University of Comparative Zoology 26 Oxford St, an Ololygon kautskyi and a Boana semilineata in
Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. amplexus on marginal vegetation of a pond near an
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] urban fragment (��������������������������������������
706 Fernanda Cristina Ferreira Lirio� et al.

Figure 1. Interspecific amplexus: (A) Ololygon kautskyi and Boana semilineata, (B) Itapotihyla lansgdorffii and Trachycephalus
mesophaeus, (C) Ololygon kautskyi and Haddadus binotatus, (D) Physalaemus crombiei and Ololygon argyreornata recorded in
the municipality of Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Photo by: A) Fernanda C. F. Lirio, B) Thiago G. Kloss, C) Thiago Silva-
Soares, and D) Rodrigo B. Ferreira.

(Figure 1A). Both species have prolonged breeding species belong to different families. Ololygon kautskyi
(Hartmann et al., 2010; Ferreira et al., 2012). Both breeds in the dry season at small streams in the forest
species have been reported using marginal vegetation and has larval development (Carvalho-e-Silva and
of ponds for intraspecific reproduction (Ferreira et al., Peixoto, 1991). Haddadus binotatus breeds in the rainy
2012; Haddad et al., 2013); however, previous reported season and has direct development, laying eggs on the
interspecific amplexus events involved only a female of leaf litter (Costa and Carvalho-e-Silva, 2010).
Boana semilineata being amplected by a male Boana On 30 October 2015 at around 20:00h, we observed a
albomarginata (Spix, 1824)(Prado and Pombal, 2005). Physalaemus crombiei and an Ololygon argyreornata in
On 12 October 2013 at around 21:00h, we observed amplexus in a marsh at the Augusto Ruschi Biological
an Itapotihyla langsdorffii and a Trachycephalus Reserve (19.9069°S, 40.5534°W). These species also
mesophaeus in amplexus on vegetation near a belong to different families. Both species use temporary
floodplain (19.9729°S, 40.5286°W) at the Santa Lúcia pools for breeding (Carvalho-e-Silva and Carvalho
Biological Station (Figure 1B). This amplexus occurred e Silva, 1998; Prado and Pombal, 2005) (Figure 1D).
during a period of explosive reproduction of the two Ololygon argyreornata is an explosive breeder whereas
species. This reproductive strategy has been reported P. crombiei is a prolonged breeder (Pupin et al., 2010;
for both species (Wells, 1977; Prado et al., 2003). These Wells, 1977).
species usually use the same habitat for reproduction, In an anuran assemblage, different species may use
being observed in permanent and temporary ponds the same resources for reproduction (e.g., breeding
(Borges-Martins et al., 2007; Narvaes et al., 2009). sites and season). Most species in our observations
On 06 October 2017 at around 22:00h, we observed share the same reproductive habitat in the rainy season.
an Ololygon kautskyi and a Haddadus binotatus in Thus, species in these assemblages are more likely
amplexus in a marsh at São Lourenço Municipal to be involved in interspecific amplexus. Contrarily,
Reserve (19.9257°S, 40.6177°W; Figure 1C). These Ololygon kautskyi and Haddadus binotatus pair, usually
New records of interspecific amplexus in Neotropical anurans 707

reproduce in different seasons and habitats (Dias et Gül, S., Özdemir, N., Dursun, C. (2018): First record of interspecific
al., 2012). It is likely H. binotatus was foraging near amplexus behaviour between Bufotes variabilis (Pallas, 1769)
humid habitat (i.e., stream) and was amplected by and Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) with Bufo bufo
(Linnaeus, 1758) (Anura: Bufonidae) from Turkey. ������������
O. kautskyi on its way toward the breeding habitat.
Notes 11: 153–155.
Although we have not observed oviposition, several
Haddad, C.F.B., Cardoso, A.J., Castanho, L.M. (1990): Hibridação
studies on anurans have shown successful oviposition natural entre Bufo ictericus e Bufo crucifer (Amphibia, Anura).
of interspecific pairs (Haddad et al., 1990; Sullivan and Revista Brasileira de Biologia 50: 739–744.
Lamb, 1988; Haddad et al., 1994). We suggest future Haddad, C.F.B., Pombal-Júnior, J.P., Batistic, R.F. (1994): Natural
studies to capture and maintain interspecific pairs in a hybridization between diploid and tetraploid species of leaf
laboratory setting to investigate possible oviposition frogs, genus Phyllomedusa (Amphibia). �����������������������
and viability of offspring. 28: 425–430.
Haddad, C.F.B.; Toledo, L.F.; Prado, C.P.A.; Loebmann, D.;
Gasparini, J.L.; Sazima, I. (2013): Guia de anfíbios da
Acknowledgments. We thank the Bromeligenous Project
Mata Atlântica: diversidade de biologia. ���������������
for the fieldwork logistical support. �������������������������
Anolisbooks.
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Hettyey, A., Pearman, P.B. (2003): Social environment and
- Brasil (CAPES; - FCLF: 001-1774502; RBF: 0823-2015),
reproductive interference affect reproductive success in the frog
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Rana latastei. Behavioral Ecology 14: 294–300.
(CNPq; ATM: 300729/2017-0; TSS: 304374/2016-4), Rufford
Izzo, T.J., Rodrigues, D.J., Menin, M, Lima, A.P., Magnusson, W.E.
Foundation, Utah State University, and Universidade Vila Velha.
(2012): Functional necrophilia: a profitable anuran reproductive
strategy? Journal of Natural History 46: 2961–2967.
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Accepted by Christoph Liedtke