Breeding in bamboo: a novel anuran reproductive strategy discovered in Rhacophorid frogs of the Western Ghats, India

Seshadri, Kadaba Shamanna and Gururaja, Kotambylu Vasudeva and Bickford, David Patrick (2015) Breeding in bamboo: a novel anuran reproductive strategy discovered in Rhacophorid frogs of the Western Ghats, India. In: BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, 114 (1). pp. 1-11.

PDF bio_jou_lin_soc_114-1_1_2015.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (1MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Amphibians exhibit extraordinarily diverse sets of reproductive strategies among vertebrates. Understanding life history strategies in an evolutionary framework is lacking for many amphibian species in the tropics. Here, we report a novel reproductive mode where adult frogs enter hollow internodes of bamboo via a small opening, deposit direct developing eggs, and provide parental care. This behaviour is observed in two species of the frog genus Raorchestes. The first description of this unique life history and details of nest site characteristics and embryo development are provided along with ecological comparisons. Evolution of novel reproductive modes and parental care are discussed in context of natural selection. Dearth of natural history information on amphibians in the Western Ghats and much of the South-East Asian region is highlighted with suggestions for further studies.(c) 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 114, 1-11.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
Publisher:	WILEY-BLACKWELL
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the WILEY-BLACKWELL, 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA
Keywords:	amphibian ecology; direct development; evolutionary ecology; natural history; parental care; reproductive strategies
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Center for Infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP)
Date Deposited:	20 Feb 2015 12:23
Last Modified:	20 Feb 2015 12:23
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/50849

Actions (login required)

View Item