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25 September 2024 First Characterization of the Vocalization, Behavior, and Tadpole Diet of the Golden Treefrog (Phytotriades auratus), an Endangered Mountaintop Endemic
Richard M. Lehtinen, Renoir J. Auguste, Daniel A. Borowsky
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Abstract

Mountaintop endemic species are at particularly high risk of extinction due to a warming climate, yet very little is often known of the natural history of these species, especially in the tropics. One such poorly known tropical mountaintop endemic is the endangered Golden Treefrog (Phytotriades auratus, Hylidae). We conducted fieldwork on El Tucuche in Trinidad in an attempt to provide the first characterization of acoustic communication, tadpole diet, and parental care behaviors in this difficult to study, range-restricted, bromeliad specialist species. We succeeded in witnessing putative courtship behaviors which included not only acoustic vocalizations, but a surprisingly diverse acoustic repertoire. Four distinctly different call types were recorded, including two from a putative male (the “quack” and “eek” calls) and two from a putative female (the “trill” and “croak” calls). We provide quantitative descriptions of these acoustic signals and hypothesize functions for each. By photographing live tadpoles in the field and examining museum specimens, we found no evidence for eggs in the gut but abundant evidence of fine detritus. Despite some close relatives being bromeliad breeders with oophagous larvae, tadpoles of P. auratus appear to be detritivorous. Lastly, no clear interactions between adults and tadpoles were witnessed either in the field or on hundreds of automated video recordings, suggesting a possible lack of parental care behavior. While additional work is needed and many questions remain, these observations should begin to enable informed monitoring, conservation, and management activities for this at-risk species.

Richard M. Lehtinen, Renoir J. Auguste, and Daniel A. Borowsky "First Characterization of the Vocalization, Behavior, and Tadpole Diet of the Golden Treefrog (Phytotriades auratus), an Endangered Mountaintop Endemic," Ichthyology & Herpetology 112(3), 365-374, (25 September 2024). https://doi.org/10.1643/h2023015
Received: 16 February 2023; Accepted: 9 April 2024; Published: 25 September 2024
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