Finding love in a hopeless place: A global database of misdirected amplexus in anurans

Abstract

Amphibians are one of the most species-rich vertebrate taxa, with diverse and complex reproductive behaviors. Even though mate recognition plays a vital role in reproductive success, unusual amplexus with non-suitable mates (misdirected amplexus) have been reported to occur in the wild. Misdirected

Interfamilial male-male amplexus between a Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus; Rhacophoridae) and a Bicolored Frog (Clinotarsus curtipes; Ranidae) from the Western Ghats, India

“…Frogs in the family Rhacophoridae are among those with the highest rates of misdirected amplexus (Serrano et al 2022). Malabar Gliding Frogs have been recorded in male-male interspecific amplexus with an Indian Treefrog (Polypedates maculatus; Sayyed 2013) and with a female and another Kalakad Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus calcadensis; Sayyed and Nale 2017; Serrano et al 2022) of unknown sex.…”

“…Frogs in the family Rhacophoridae are among those with the highest rates of misdirected amplexus (Serrano et al 2022). Malabar Gliding Frogs have been recorded in male-male interspecific amplexus with an Indian Treefrog (Polypedates maculatus; Sayyed 2013) and with a female and another Kalakad Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus calcadensis; Sayyed and Nale 2017; Serrano et al 2022) of unknown sex. No records document misdirected amplexus in any of the three species of Clinotarsus; the genus, however, has a high probability of exhibiting such behavior (Brischoux and Lorrain-Soligon 2023).…”

“…No records document misdirected amplexus in any of the three species of Clinotarsus; the genus, however, has a high probability of exhibiting such behavior (Brischoux and Lorrain-Soligon 2023). Misdirected mating efforts cost frogs time and energy, thus reporting instances of such behaviors is important as they could be indicative of environmental changes (Serrano et al 2022).…”

Abnormal amplexus of a Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus) and an Indian Tree Frog (Polypedates maculatus)

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D espite the importance of mate recognition, misdirected amplexus has been reported in a number of anuran species (e.g., Serrano et al 2022). The Malabar Gliding Frog, Rhacophorus malabaricus Jerdon 1870, is endemic to the Western Ghats of India (Sayyed 2013).

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Interspecific amplexus between Buergeria buergeri (Rhacophoridae) and Bufo japonicus formosus (Bufonidae)

“…Amplexus is divided into several types according to the part of the female clasped by the male. For example, the type in which the male clasps the female's side is called axillary amplexus, and the type in which the male clasps the female's waist is called inguinal amplexus (Kuramoto 1996).Amplecting behavior between different species (interspecific amplexus) has been reported around the world (Serrano et al 2022). This behavior is widespread in the phylogeny of frogs (Serrano et al 2022), with male-female combinations ranging from interspecific within the same genus (…”