Tadpole deposition behaviour in male stream frogs Mannophryne trinitatis (Anura: Dendrobatidae)

Abstract

Male Mannophryne trinitatis transport their larvae on their backs to predator‐free pools and deposit them there. The experiments reported here investigated M. trinitatis male deposition behaviour in containers placed near a heavily fish‐populated stream at Mount Saint Benedict, northern Trinidad. Choice of deposition site was not related to height above or distance from the stream. The low mean number of tadpoles deposited in each container in the field and in a laboratory experiment indicated that most males tended not to deposit complete clutches in single pools. Deposition experiments in the laboratory with a choice of different‐sized containers showed that deposition was pool size dependent, with more tadpoles deposited in larger containers. Deposition behaviour when given a choice of containers with leaf litter (a source of food and shelter) and with no leaf litter showed no significant preference. Tadpoles grown in different water volumes with different food sources revealed that tadpole growth was best in larger water volumes containing leaf litter. Regular tadpole inspections at a pool in the field established that most tadpoles present were the result of downstream movement.

Keywords:

• Anura
• Dendrobatidae
• deposition behaviour
• Mannophryne trinitatis
• tadpole
• Trinidad

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the staff of the Zoology Department, University of West Indies, Trinidad and the Wildlife Section of the Trinidadian Government for permission to do the work and for the use of laboratory space. Many Glasgow University students helped in this project, in particular Damian Tobin, Ben Mitchell, Graham Stirling, Melissa Riley, Jennifer Miller, Celia Langhorne, Lynsey Allen, Nicola Rae and Eilidh Graham. M. J. J. was funded by a UK Natural Environment Research Council postgraduate studentship. J. R. D.'s fieldwork was supported by the Carnegie Trust.