OOPHAGY IN THE TREE-HOLE DWELLING TADPOLES OF Ecnomiohyla sukia (HYLIDAE) IN COSTA RICA

Stanley Salazar; Calíope Rojas; Valeria Aspinall; Juan Gabriel  Abarca

doi:10.22201/fc.25942158e.2023.3.665

OOPHAGY IN THE TREE-HOLE DWELLING TADPOLES OF Ecnomiohyla sukia (HYLIDAE) IN COSTA RICA

Authors

Stanley Salazar DOSEL SA, Rain Forest Adventures, La Esperanza, Horquetas, Sarapiquí, Heredia, Costa Rica.
Calíope Rojas Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
Valeria Aspinall Costa Rica Wildlife Foundation, San José, Costa Rica.
Juan G. Abarca Laboratorio de Recursos Naturales y Vida Silvestre, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2023.3.665

Keywords:

canopy frog, conspecific eggs, feeding behavior, feeding strategy

Abstract

The feeding strategy of the tadpoles of the Shaman Fringe-limbed Treefrog (Ecnomiohyla sukia), a canopy frog endemic to Costa Rica, is reported. A tree was climbed to collect three tadpoles at different stages, then the stomach contents were analyzed. Two of the three collected tadpoles had masses of eggs in their intestines. An analysis of stomach contents found evidence for the presence of around 200 eggs in one specimen. Ecnomiohyla sukia tadpoles are confirmed to be oophagous and can survive by feeding on conspecific eggs. We suggest that oophagy may also be present in other species of the genus Ecnomiohyla; they could use this strategy to supplement the limited food resources available in their microhabitats; however, more research is needed to confirm this.

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Published

2023-07-04

How to Cite

Salazar, S., Rojas, C., Aspinall, V., & Abarca, J. G. . (2023). OOPHAGY IN THE TREE-HOLE DWELLING TADPOLES OF Ecnomiohyla sukia (HYLIDAE) IN COSTA RICA. Revista Latinoamericana De Herpetología, 6(3), e665 (01 – 05). https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2023.3.665