ANTIPREDATOR MECHANISMS IN THE COLOMBIAN HORNED FROG CERATOPHRYS CALCARATA

Freddy Grisales Martínez; Beatriz Elena Rendón Valencia

doi:10.22201/fc.25942158e.2026.1.1495

Autores/as

Freddy Grisales Martínez Universidad de Antioquia https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2043-8896
Beatriz Elena Rendón Valencia https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4795-4647

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2026.1.1495

Palabras clave:

Evitar la detección, ceratófridos, contraataque, comportamiento defensivo, interacciones depredador–presa

Resumen

La depredación impulsa la evolución de complejas estrategias antidepredatorias en los anfibios. Los ceratófridos desempeñan un rol doble como depredadores y presas en los ecosistemas naturales. Este estudio documenta comportamientos antidepredatorios en Ceratophrys calcarata del norte de Colombia, mostrando tres fases de defensa secuenciales: (1) camuflaje e inmovilidad para evitar la detección, (2) inflación corporal, elevación y apertura bucal para disuadir el ataque, y (3) mordida como contraataque. De manera notable, la elevación corporal se describe por primera vez para el género. Estos hallazgos amplían el repertorio antidepredador conocido en Ceratophryidae y resaltan la necesidad de evaluaciones conductuales estructuradas.

Citas

AmphibiaWeb. (2025). Ceratophrys calcarata. https://amphibiaweb.org/. [Accessed in September 2025].

Caro, T. (2014). Antipredator deception in terrestrial vertebrates. Current Zoology 60:16–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/60.1.16

Cei, J.M. (1955). Chacoan batrachians in central Argentina. Copeia 4:291–293. https://doi.org/10.2307/1440305

Cuello, M.E., & Perotti. M.G. (2006). Atelognathus patagonicus. Overwintering tadpoles. Herpetological Review 37:441.

Duellman, W.E., & Trueb. L. (1994). Biology of Amphibians. John Hopkins University Press.

Faivovich, J., Nicoli, L., Blotto, B.L., Pereyra, M.O., Baldo, D., Barrionuevo, J.S., Fabrezi, M., Wild, E.R. & Haddad, C.F. (2014). Big, bad, and beautiful: phylogenetic relationships of the horned frogs (Anura: Ceratophryidae). South American Journal of Herpetology 9:207–227. https://doi.org/10.2994/SAJH-D-14-00032.1

Ferreira, R.B., Lourenço-de-Moraes, R., Zocca, C., Duca, C., Beard, K.H., & E.D. Brodie Jr. (2019). Antipredator mechanisms of post metamorphic anurans: a global database and classification system. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 73:69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-019-2680-1

Frost, D.R. (2025). Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.2. http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/. [Accessed in July 2025].

Haddad, C.F., Toledo, L.F., Prado, C.P., Loebmann, D., Gasparini, J.L., & Sazima, I. (2013). Guia dos Anfíbios da Mata Atlântica: Diversidade e biologia. Anolis Books.

Lappin, A.K., Wilcox, S.C., Moriarty, D.J., Stoeppler, S.A., Evans, S.E., & Jones, M.E. (2017). Bite force in the horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) with implications for extinct giant frogs. Scientific reports 7:11963. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-11968-6

Pereyra, L.C., & Akmentins. M.S. (2013). A case of predation of Chacophrys pierottii (Anura: Ceratophryidae) by Philodryas psammophidea (Squamata: Dipsadinae) in the chacoan saltflats of central Argentina. Herpetology Notes 6:245–246.

Schalk, C.M., Montaña, C.G., Klemish, J.L., & Wild. E.R. (2014). On the diet of the frogs of the Ceratophryidae: synopsis and new contributions. South American Journal of Herpetology 9:90–105. https://doi.org/10.2994/SAJH-D-14-00008.1

Schalk, C.M., & Fitzgerald, L.A. (2015). Ontogenetic shifts in ambush-site selection of a sit-and-wait predator, the Chacoan Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli). Canadian Journal of Zoology 93:461–467. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0320

Toledo, L.F., & Haddad, C.F.B. (2009). Colors and some morphological traits as defensive mechanisms in anurans. International Journal of Zoology 910892:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/910892

Toledo, L.F., Sazima, I., & Haddad, C.F.B. (2011). Behavioural defences of anurans: an overview. Ethology, Ecology & Evolution 23:1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/03949370.2010.534321

Vitt, L.J., & Caldwell, J.P. (2014). Herpetology: an introductory biology of amphibians and reptiles. Fourth Edition. Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2010-0-67152-5

Wells, K.D. (2007). The ecology and behaviour of amphibians. The University of Chicago Press.

Williams, C.R., Brodie, E.D. Jr., Tyler, M.J., & Walker, S.J. (2000). Antipredator mechanisms of Australian frogs. Journal of Herpetolgy 34:431–443. https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1565367