Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus SmiliscaDuellman, William Edward
Science
Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca
Duellman, William Edward
Amphibians -- Central America; Frogs; Smilisca
These limited observations on chorus structure in _Smilisca_ show the
presence of behavioral organization. The methods of establishing the
organization and the significance of the call-order in breeding have yet
to be discovered.
Calling males of _S. baudini_ are often close together; some individuals
have been observed almost touching one another, but no indication of
territoriality or aggressive behavior has been witnessed. The more
distant spacing of the stream-breeding species _S. sila_ and _S.
sordida_ may be a function of calling-territories, but no direct
evidence is available to substantiate this supposition.
_Sex recognition and amplexus._--Observations on _Smilisca baudini_
indicate that the calls of males attract females. At Tehuantepec,
Oaxaca, Mexico, a female was first observed about two meters away from a
male calling at the edge of a rain pool; in a series of short hops she
progressed directly towards the male, although vegetation obscured him
until she was less than a meter away. When she approached to within
about 20 centimeters of the male, he took notice of her, moved to her,
and clasped her. At Chinaja, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, a female swam
directly across a pool about three meters wide to a calling male. Her
line of movement took her within a few centimeters of a silent male, to
whom she paid no attention. She stopped just in front of the calling
male, which immediately clasped her. At a large muddy pond 4 kilometers
west-northwest of Esparta, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, a female was observed
swimming toward a small submerged tree; a male was calling from a branch
about one meter above the water. The female climbed to a branch about 20
centimeters below the male, which upon seeing her there immediately
jumped down and clasped her. These few observations of _S. baudini_ show
that in this species females are capable of locating calling males by
means of phono-orientation; visual reception on the part of females
seems to be secondary. Contrariwise, males apparently become aware of
the proximity of females by seeing them; once a male sees a female he
usually tries to clasp her. Possibly the males receive stimuli by means
of chemo-reception, but in each observed instance the male obviously
looked at the female.
Amplexus is axillary in all members of the genus. Normally amplexing
males hunch their backs and press their chins to the females' backs.
Clasping pairs are usually found at the edge of the water, but sometimes
amplexus takes place in trees or bushes.
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