Impact of otter (Lutra lutra) predation on amphibians in temporary ponds in Southern Spain

We report the observation of an event of mortality of ribbed newts ( Pleu - rodeles waltl ) and Iberian spadefoot toads ( Pelobates cultripes ) due to predation by a pair of otters ( Lutra lutra ) in a temporary pond complex in southern Spain. The pecu- liar predation mode on ribbed newts, with extraction of soft organs through an inci - sion in the upper part of the thorax, may result in an underestimation of the impor - tance of this species in the diet of otters. The high number of dead amphibians killed by two otters in only several hours suggests that the presence of these predators may pose a serious threat to amphibian populations. The risk is especially high in arid are- as, with few ponds, synchronous reproductive migration, and high density of animals. We consider that measures promoting the conservation and population and range increase of otters may have a negative impact on amphibian

What does a Pacman eat? Macrophagy and necrophagy in a generalist predator (Ceratophrys stolzmanni)

We describe for the first time the feeding ecology of the Pacific horned frog (Ceratophrys stolzmanni), as inferred through gastrointestinal tract content analysis and behavioural observations in its natural habitat. Ingested prey in adults ranged from mites and various insects to frogs and snakes. Prey items predominantly consisted of gastropods, non-formicid hymenopterans, and centipedes. We found no relationship between the size of the predator and the prey ingested, in terms of prey size, volume or number of items ingested. Additional direct observations indicate that all post-metamorphic stages are voracious, preying on vertebrates and engaging in anurophagy, cannibalism, and even necrophagy. Our study sheds light on the feeding habits of one of the least known species of horned frog

Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae, Rhaebo ecuadorensis Mueses-Cisneros, Cisneros-Heredia & McDiarmid, 2012, and Anura, Hylidae, Phyllomedusa tarsius (Cope, 1868): range extensions and first records for Zamora-Chinchipe province, Ecuador

We report the first provincial records for Rhaebo ecuadorensis Mueses-Cisneros, Cisneros-Heredia & McDiarmid, 2012,and Phyllomedusa tarsius (Cope, 1868) in Zamora-Chinchipe, southern Ecuador. The new locations are significant because they represent the southernmost records in Ecuador as well as the westernmost limits of the ranges of these two species

A preliminary report on the distribution of lizards in Qatar

We have updated the list of the lizard species present in Qatar and produced the first distribution maps based on two field surveys in 2012 and 2013. We used the QND95/Qatar National Grid with a grid of 10 × 10 km squares for mapping. Our results show the occurrence of 21 lizard species in Qatar, from the 15 species indicated in the last biodiversity report conducted in 2004. The most abundant family found in Qatar is Gekkonidae with nine species (Bunopus tuberculatus, Cyrtopodion scabrum, Hemidactylus robustus, H. flaviviridis, H. persicus, Stenodactylus arabicus, S. slevini, S. doriae, Pseudoceramodactylus khobarensis), followed by Lacertidae with four species (Acanthodactylus schmidti, A. opheodurus, Mesalina brevirostris, M. adramitana), Agamidae with three species (Trapelus flavimaculatus, Uromastyx aegyptia, Phrynocephalus arabicus), Scincidae with two species (Scincus mitranus, Trachylepis septemtaeniata), and Varanidae (Varanus griseus), Sphaerodactylidae (Pristurus rupestris) and Trogonophiidae (Diplometopon zarudnyi) with one species each. The species richness fluctuated largely across Qatar between one and eleven species per grid square. We believe that the lizard fauna records in Qatar are still incomplete and that additional studies are required. However, our study here fills a gap concerning lizard biodiversity knowledge in the Gulf Region. © Dan Cogǎlniceanu et al.Peer Reviewe

Dryness affects burrowing depth in a semi-fossorial amphibian

The fossorial life-history emerged as a response to hostile environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures and dryness. It evolved independently in different lineages of amphibians, which are particularly vulnerable to dehydration and require a continuous level of humidity because of their permeable skin. For the first time, we test the hypothesis that amphibians are able to adapt their fossorial behaviour to substrate humidity, using the Pacific horned frogs (Ceratophrys stolzmanni) from the Ecuadorian dry forest as a model. When exposed to dry substrate, the animals burrowed much deeper than the ones in wet soil. The capacity to excavate was particularly high in this species: frogs from the dry treatment could be found at more than one-meter depth after just a few hours. Our results reveal a conditional strategy that contributes to explain the persistence of amphibians in dry environments

Ecotourism in an archaeological site from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve

Many cultural heritage sites are located within biodiversity hotspots and, through restricted anthropogenic intervention, allow biodiversity to thrive. These sites attract an increasing number of tourists, thus visitors-wildlife interactions and conflicts can arise. Little is known about how visitors perceive the wildlife occurring within their visiting areas, with differences in perception between species being expected. We evaluated through a questionnaire survey visitors’ perception regarding the reptiles and amphibians inhabiting Histria archaeological site, located within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Past archaeological activities inside the site have positively influenced the ecology of tortoises through landscape changes (i.e., archaeological diggings), offering better hibernation sites for the winter and shelter during colder periods. We found that most visitors were not disturbed by the encounters with tortoises, terrapins, frogs and toads, while for snakes 20% were ‘very’ or ‘extremely disturbed’. Disturbance elicited by snakes differed according to visitors’ gender and nationality, women and Romanians being more disturbed. Similarly, emotional response was mostly enthusiasm, except for snakes when visitors expressed repulsion (65% of the Romanians, 30% of the foreigners), while 12% of Romanians expressed repulsion towards frogs and toads as well. Therefore education should be targeted differently according to sex, age and education level, by highlighting the need for preserving cultural and natural heritages in an integrative and educational approach. Our case study emphasized the necessity for in situ education and increasing public awareness in regards with wildlife inhabiting cultural heritage sites.peerReviewe

Older males whistle better: Age and body size are encoded in the mating calls of a nest-building amphibian (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

Courtship acoustic displays in anuran amphibians are energetically costly and risky, but have a major role in mating success since they encode relevant information regarding the caller’s identity and status. Age and size are essential traits shaping fitness, reproductive success and life-history strategies, and thus are expected to also have a role in courtship displays. We tested this assumption in a species of nest-building frogs, Leptodactylus bufonius, in northern Argentina.We conducted the first detailed quantitative description of the males’ mating calls and assessed the effects of biological traits (i.e., body size parameters and individual age) and local climate (i.e., air temperature and humidity) on the main acoustic features of these calls (i.e., call duration, intercall duration, dominant frequency, and dominant frequency modulation). The calls were short (mean SE, 0.163 0.004 s), whistle-like, single notes with harmonic structure. The dominant frequency (1381.7 16.2 Hz) decreased with arm length ($2 = 5.244, df = 1, p = 0.022) and had an upward modulation (456.4 11.0 Hz) which increased with age ($2 = 4.7012, df = 1, p = 0.030). Call duration and dominant frequency were the most static parameters at intraindividual level, indicating their role in individual recognition. Temperature and humidity shaped the temporal acoustic parameters, and the dominant frequency. Our findings suggest that the acoustic features of the mating calls in amphibians could promote female mate choice in relation to both size and age and open up new questions for future research: are females more attracted to older males, and what are the specific costs and benefits? We suggest that mating calls may direct female preferences toward males of certain size and age classes, ultimately shaping the life-history strategies in a given population. Finally, we found discrepancies in the mating calls of L. bufonius recorded from Corrientes and those previously described from other populations, which suggests that multiple species may have been recorded under the same name.This work was supported by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina, through Postdoctoral fellowships to FM, by the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS –UEFISCDI, through project number: PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2021-0260, within PNCDI III (FS), and by the SYNTHESYS Project ES-TAF6704, http://www.synthesys.info/, which was financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Program at the Museo Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC) (FS and RM).Peer reviewe

The advertisement call of Pristimantis subsigillatus (Anura, Craugastoridae)

We describe for the first time the advertisement call of Pristimantis subsigillatus from southern Ecuador. Our study provides a detailed quantitative characterization of the advertisement call of P. subsigillatus, filling a gap in our knowledge of this genus, the most speciose among vertebrates. Males called perched on vegetation 0.5-2.5 m above ground, always during mild rain. The advertisement call is composed of a single note with a duration of 63-80 ms, with an initial short pulse (3-10 ms) followed by a longer tonal component. Call rates ranged between 4-12 calls/min. The dominant frequency varied between 2.02-2.82 kHz.The Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Republic of Ecuador (SENESCYT) provided funding for Paul Székely and Dan Cogălniceanu through the Prometeo Project. The Jocotoco Foundation provided access to Buenaventura Forest Reserve. Florina Stănescu, Paul Székely and Dan Cogălniceanu received additional support from the SYNTHESYS Project. The SYNTHESYS Project is financed by the European–Community–Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Specific Programme. Partial call analyses and call deposit were funded by project TATANKA (CGL2011-25062), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, FCW (CGL2011-16159-E). We are grateful to Dr. Santiago Ron, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador for his support. Collecting permits were granted to Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador as No. 005-14 IC-FAUDNB/MA and No. 003-15 IC-FAU-DNB/MA.Peer reviewe

Acoustic parameters are correlated with age in male Leptodactylus bufonius (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

Trabajo presentado en el 19th European Congress of Herpetology, celebrado en Salzburgo del 18 al 23 de septiembre de 2017.Age and size are essential determinants of amphibians’ fitness and life-history strategies, while advertisement calls are of paramount importance to reproductive success. Leptodactylus bufonius belongs to L. fuscus group, which assembles terrestrial frogs where males construct mud nests at the edge of temporary ponds. Males call from inside or nearby the nests to attract the females. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between acoustic features, size, and age in L. bufonius males.This work was received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 "Capacities" Programme, at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), and from the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research CNCS-UEFISCDI (grant PN-II-CAPACITĂȚI-Modulul III-Cooperări Bilaterale 732/23.07.2013).Peer reviewe