Regulation of body water balance in reedfrogs (superspecies Hyperolius viridiflavus and Hyperolius marmoratus: Amphibia, anura, hyperoliidae) living in unpredictably varying savannah environments

Schmuck, Richard A.; Linsenmair, K. Eduard

doi:10.1016/s0300-9629(97)86804-1

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Among the major problems encountered are evaporative water loss, energy constraints and osmotic regulation. Juvenile reed frogs show numerous adaptations that enable them to survive these harsh climatic conditions (Withers et al 1982;Kobelt & Linsenmair 1995;Linsenmair 1997;Schmuck & Linsenmair 1997). While aestivating, frogs adopt a characteristic water-conserving posture, thereby shielding those skin areas that are least waterproof.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frogs flee from the sound of fire

Grafe

Döbler

Linsenmair

2002

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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Fire has an important role in the sensory ecology of many animals. Using acoustic cues to detect approaching fires may give slow-moving animals a head start when fleeing from fires. We report that aestivating juvenile reed frogs (Hyperolius nitidulus) respond to playbacks of the sound of fire by fleeing in the direction of protective cover, where they are safe. This is a novel response to fire not known to occur in other animals. Moreover, we identify the rapid rise-time of the crackling sound of fire as the probable cue used. These results suggest that amphibian hearing not only has evolved through sexual selection, but also must be viewed in a broader context.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frogs flee from the sound of fire

Grafe

Döbler

Linsenmair

2002

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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“…Formal tests of rehydration dynamics would be necessary to know how dehydrated C. greeningi responds to a sudden increase of water availability. A very rapid rehydration rate has been reported in anurans adapted to semi-arid conditions, such as H. viridi¯avus (Schmuck & Linsenmair, 1997). Body size, through surface±area relationships, affects water relationships in anurans (Esteban et al, 1999).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water economy in the casque‐headed tree‐frog Corythomantis greeningi (Hylidae): role of behaviour, skin, and skull skin co‐ossification

2002

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The Brazilian tree-frog Corythomantis greeningi inhabits the Caatinga, a semi-arid habitat. This species exhibits putative adaptations to a dry environment, including a¯at head, co-ossi®cation of the cranial skin, and phragmotic behaviour (retreat to crevices using the head to seal the entrance). Real frogs were compared with agar models to study water balance under simulated Caatinga conditions and to investigate the ability of C. greeningi to ®nd small water sources. The bene®ts of skin co-ossi®cation were also studied by comparing agar models with and without nail polish on the head. Tree-frogs repeatedly preferred a humid test tube out of 10 possible choices, and adopted phragmotic behaviour inside it. In both agar models and tree-frogs, total water evaporation increased with body size, but relative water loss was higher in smaller individuals. The presence of nail polish on agar models barely reduced water loss, suggesting that cranial skin co-ossi®cation has a small role in water economy. Although both models and tree-frogs evaporated about 90% more water when exposed than when phragmotic, tree-frogs evaporated about 50% less water than agar models at any test condition. We conclude that reduced skin permeability, phragmotic behaviour and a keen capacity to identify humid crevices, explain the success of this species in a semi-arid habitat.

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“…That the Stellenbosch population occurs in a dam at the South African Department of Agriculture's Agricultural, Food, Quarantine and Inspection Services is also telling. Given that H. marmoratus lays eggs on aquatic vegetation (Passmore & Carruthers, 1979, 1995Channing, 2001), and is considered desiccation resistant (Withers et al, 1982;Schmuck & Linsenmair, 1997;Bishop, 2004), transport on quarantined plant material seems probable.…”

Section: Human-mediated Jump Dispersal?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although human-mediated jump dispersal is clearly demonstrated, the actual means of colonization is unknown. Adults and eggs of H. marmoratus are desiccation resistant (Withers et al, 1982;Schmuck & Linsenmair, 1997) so individuals could have been transported during either life stage. Accidental transport of adults on plant material (such as fruit or cut flowers) and the subsequent successful fertilization of eggs may have been the basis of the invasion.…”

Section: Modes Of Colonizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deconstructing a controversial local range expansion: conservation biogeography of the painted reed frog (Hyperolius marmoratus) in South Africa

Tolley

Davies

Chown

2007

Diversity and Distributions

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Local range expansions might either be the response of populations to climate or landscape change, or be caused directly by human intervention. In the latter case the expansion would be considered the first in the steps leading to a biological invasion. In species typically not the subject of human commerce, distinguishing the causes of local range expansions is problematic. Range dynamic theory provides a basis for doing so, and, when used to assess phylogeographical information, can be a powerful conservation biogeographical approach. Here we adopt this approach to resolve the controversial case of the recent range expansion of the painted reed frog ( Hyperolius marmoratus ) in southern South Africa. Within the last decade, H. marmoratus has spread westward approximately 500 km from its historical range. This local range expansion could either represent human-mediated jump dispersal, or a response to landscape or climate change. To date, the latter has been assumed, although not universally. Using a phylogeographic approach to investigate these competing hypotheses, a portion of the mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced for individuals from within the historical range ( n = 178), and four putatively introduced populations in dams ( n = 121). There was substantial geographical population structure within the historical range, and these populations were significantly different from the dam populations ( Φ ST = 0.817, P < 0.001). The presence of one or a few dissimilar haplotypes in the dams suggests that introductions are from a number of different sources. This, in conjunction with new survey data, supports the hypothesis that recent establishment of these populations is the result of human-mediated jump dispersal. The impact of this range expansion on ecosystem functioning is unknown, but given the rapid spread of this species and its potential influence on ecosystems, safeguards should be put in place to control further introductions and to restrict the currently invasive populations.

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Regulation of body water balance in reedfrogs (superspecies Hyperolius viridiflavus and Hyperolius marmoratus: Amphibia, anura, hyperoliidae) living in unpredictably varying savannah environments

Cited by 14 publications

References 53 publications

Frogs flee from the sound of fire

Frogs flee from the sound of fire

Water economy in the casque‐headed tree‐frog Corythomantis greeningi (Hylidae): role of behaviour, skin, and skull skin co‐ossification

Deconstructing a controversial local range expansion: conservation biogeography of the painted reed frog (Hyperolius marmoratus) in South Africa

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