FIRST REPORT OF OCULAR HETEROCHROMIA IN BOANA MARGINATA (BOULENGER, 1887) (ANURA: HYLIDAE) IN ATLANTIC FOREST, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Thomas  W.G. Oriá; Camila R. O. Leal; Beatriz  F. L. Luciano; Daniela  Gomes Fagundes Comin; Samuel Carlos  Da Rosa De Oliveira; Vera Lúcia  Leal de Oliveira; Karoline Ceron

doi:10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.2.1288

Authors

Thomas W.G. Oriá Universidade Federal do Ceará
Camila R. O. Leal Universidade Federal do Ceará
Beatriz F. L. Luciano Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense
Daniela Gomes Fagundes Comin Centro de Desenvolvimento Humano
Samuel Carlos Da Rosa De Oliveira Centro de Desenvolvimento Humano
Vera Lúcia Leal de Oliveira Centro de Desenvolvimento Humano
Karoline Ceron Universidade Federal do Ceará

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.2.1288

Keywords:

Amphibians, Anomalies, Color anomaly, Treefrog

Abstract

We report the first documented case of ocular heterochromia in an individual of Boana marginata (Boulenger, 1887) observed in the Atlantic Forest biome, in the municipality of Treviso, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The specimen was found in a riparian area along the banks of the Pio River, characterized by dense vegetation and rocky substrates. The individual exhibited complete unilateral heterochromia, characterized by a vivid blue coloration of the iris in the right eye, contrasting sharply with the species' typical ocular pattern. We discuss the potential factors underlying this anomaly and its ecological implications for the species. This record contributes to understanding color anomalies in amphibians and highlights the need for further studies on the ecological impacts of such anomalies in natural populations.

References

Alvarez, J.A., L. Solano & J.T. Wilcox. 2022. Idiopathic ocular heterochromia in the California newt, Taricha torosa. Sonoran Herpetologist 35:121-122.

Blaustein, A.R. & P.T.J. Jonhson. 2003. The complexity of deformed amphibians. Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 1:87-94.

Blaustein, A.R., J.M. Kiesecker, D.P. Chivers & R.G. Anthony. 1997. Ambient UV-B radiation causes deformities in amphibian embryos. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 94:13735-13737.

Borges, R.E., L.R. de Souza Santos, R.A. Assis, M. Benvindo-Souza, L. Franco-Belussi & C. de Oliveira. 2019. Monitoring the morphological integrity of Neotropical anurans. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26:2623-2634.

Boulenger, G.A. 1887. Descriptions of new or little-known South-American frogs of the genera Paludicola and Hyla. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 5, 20:295-300.

Bowerman, J., P.T.J. Johnson & T. Bowerman. 2010. Sublethal predators and their injured prey: linking aquatic predators and severe limb abnormalities in amphibians. Ecology 91:242-251.

Cortés Suárez, J.E., C.G. Herrera Martínez & Á.A. Zamora Roda. 2021. Black-eye malformations in two herpetofaunal species from the Central Region and Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. Reptiles & Amphibians 28:425-427.

de Souza, F.C., A.L.F. da Silva, C.S. dos Anjos, T.F. Estevinho, M.D.O. Lisboa & M. Menin. 2021. New records of morphological anomalies in anurans, with a review for Brazil. Herpetology Notes 14:31-41.

Freed, A.N. 1988. The use of visual cues for prey selection by foraging treefrogs (Hyla cinerea). Herpetologica 44:18-24.

Gobel, N., G. Laufer, N. Kacevas, M. Carabio, R. Merni, A. Rosano, F. Mendieta, G. Pineda & F. Bergós. 2022. Morphological abnormalities in amphibians in and adjacent to Esteros de Farrapos e Islas del Río Uruguay National Park, Uruguay. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 17:573-581.

Henle, K., A. Dubois & V. Vershinin. 2017. A review of anomalies in natural populations of amphibians and their potential causes. Mertensiella 25:57-164.

Hernández-Vázquez, M.E., M.A. García-Jiménez & R. Montejo-Hernández. 2023. Anomalies in three species of anurans in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Reptiles & Amphibians 30:e20113.

Huang, M.Y., R.Y. Duan & X. Ji. 2014. Chronic effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of lead in Pelophylax nigromaculata tadpoles: threshold dose and adverse effects. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 104:310-316.

Johnson, P.T.J., M.K. Reeves, S.K. Krest & A.E. Pinkney. 2010. A decade of deformities: advances in our understanding of amphibian malformations and their implications. Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles 2:515-540.

Jones, A. 1967. Green Pigmentation in Neotropical Frogs (Publication No. 6813012.) PhD Dissertation, University of Florida. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Florida, USA.

Jungfer, K.H. & L.C. Schiesari. 1995. Description of a central Amazonian and Guianan tree frog, genus Osteocephalus (Anura, Hylidae), with oophagous tadpoles. Alytes 13:1-13.

Kiesecker, J.M. 2002. Synergism between trematode infection and pesticide exposure: a link to amphibian limb deformities in nature? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 99:9900-9904.

Lourenço-de-Moraes, R., A.S.F. Lantyer-Silva, L.F. Toledo & M. Solé. 2013. Tadpole, oophagy, advertisement call, and geographic distribution of Aparasphenodon arapapa Pimenta, Napoli, and Haddad, 2009 (Anura, Hylidae). Journal of Herpetology 47:575-579.

Melo, I.V., E.L.C. Quintela, W. Farias, M.A. Caribé, C.L. Lins, F.P.M. Silva, J.C.C. Viana & M.F. Napoli. 2024. First report of ocular heterochromia in the treefrog Boana albomarginata (Spix, 1824) (Anura: Hylidae), Atlantic Forest, northeastern Brazil. Biota Neotropica 24:e20241624.

Ouellet, M., J. Bonin, J. Rodrigue, J.L. Desgranges & S. Lair. 1997. Hindlimb deformities (ectromelia, ectrodactyly) in free-living anurans from agricultural habitats. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 33:95-104.

Pedroso-Santos, F., J.S.C. Anaissi, P.H.G. de Lima & C.E. Costa-Campos. 2022. Ocular anomalies in two species of Osteocephalus (Anura: Hylidae) from the Amazonian region of northern Brazil. Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 21:211-214.

Peltzer, P.M., R.C. Lajmanovich, L.C. Sanchez, A.M. Attademo, C.M. Junges, C.L. Bionda, A.L. Martino & B. Agustín. 2011. Morphological abnormalities in amphibian populations from the mid-eastern region of Argentina. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6:432-442.

Pimenta, B.V.S., M.F. Napoli & C.F.B. Haddad. 2009. A new species of casque-headed tree frog, genus Aparasphenodon Miranda-Ribeiro (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae), from the Atlantic Rainforest of southern Bahia, Brazil. Zootaxa 2123:46-54.

Ramalho, W.P., F. Maffei, V. Guerra, D.P. da Silva, L.R.A. de Matos & L.J.S Vieira. 2017. Anophthalmia in adults of two Amazonian treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae). Herpetological Bulletin 139:43-44.

Saniasiaya, J. 2020. Heterochromia iridis: more than beautiful eyes. Postgraduate Medical Journal 96:721.

Silva, L.F., A.S.B. Lima, C.F. Dall’Oglio & R.J. Hallal-Jr. 2021. Heterocromia de íris: uma revisão das condições que podem afetar a pigmentação iridiana. Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia 80:e0050.

Spix, J.B. von. 1824. Animalia nova sive Species novae Testudinum et Ranarum quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII–MDCCCXX jussu et auspiciis Maximiliani Josephi I. Bavariae Regis. München: F.S. Hübschmann.

Taboada, C., A.E. Brunetti, C. Alexandre, M.G. Lagorio, J. Faivovich. 2017. Fluorescent frogs: a herpetological perspective. South American Journal of Herpetology 12:1-13.