Home range behaviour in male and female poison frogs in Amazonian Peru (Dendrobatidae: Ranitomeya reticulata)

Abstract

The poison frog Ranitomeya reticulata was studied for 3 months while mark–recapture surveys were performed. Ranitomeya species deposit terrestrial clutches and carry tadpoles to phytotelmata with few taxa performing biparental brood care including larval feeding. Home range size and spatial affinity to phytotelmata in the genus are linked to mating systems. In R. reticulata, individual home range size and overlap were similar in both sexes, indicating equal levels of site fidelity. Although territory defence was never observed, strong intrasexual intolerance within individuals' core areas was found. The large intersexual home range overlap for breeding pairs indicated that mate fidelity occurs. Individuals' home ranges were not overlapping, suggesting that R. reticulata lacks pair-bonding or strongly cooperative behaviour in parental duties. The number of ground bromeliads containing phytotelmata and home range size of males were positively correlated. Our findings suggest that females do not perform egg-feeding and male-only parental care is likely.

Keywords:

• Ranitomeya reticulata
• phytotelmata
• parental care
• reproductive strategy
• space use

Acknowledgements

This study was performed with Zoocriadero Exotics Frogs (ZEF), Iquitos, under permission by INRENA granted to ZEF. Our sincere thanks goes to Mark Pepper and Manuel Sanchez of ZEF and their two field assistants Paolo and Sario for logistic and personal assistance. We also thank Jessica Hillen (Trier University) for help with ArcView, Michael Veith (Trier University) for discussion and Evan Twomey (East Carolina University, Greenville) for comments on an earlier version of the manuscript.