Morphologic changes and mortality on embryos and tadpoles of Agalychnis spurrelli boulenger (Anura: Hylidae)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.acbi.329423Keywords:
Agalychnis spurelli, Anchicayá, Anura, metamorphosis, Phyllomedusinae, tadpolesAbstract
We describe changes in some morphological traits of embryos and tadpoles of the treefrog Agalychnis spurrelli. Also, we made observations about their natural history. Between November 1998 and March 1999, a group of 289 tadpoles were collected, and 26 egg clutches were monitored from a population that breeds around an artificial pool located in Vereda Danubio, region Anchicayá (Valle del Cauca), Colombia. The former 24 stages of embryo development occur in eggs placed in arboreal substrates. After hatching (stage 24) and dropping inwater, the gills are reabsorbed, and the growth and development patterns of tadpoles are similar to the showed by tadpoles of anuran species with aquatic oviposition. After 8 days from oviposition, individuals hatched with a mean body length (BL) of 11.94 mm (n = 3), tadpoles ended metamorphosis with a mean BL of 44.16 mm (n = 4). Most of the embryos' mortality was due to predation by the snake Leptodeira annulata (< 25% ofclutches), while the most of the mortality in tadpoles was due to fishes Astyanax sp. (Pisces: Characidae). Field observations suggest that characteristics of the body water (permanent, large) could affect the growth pattern of tadpoles.
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