CONTORTIONIST TREE FROG: NEW RECORDS AND AN UPDATED LIST OF ANTIPREDATOR MECHANISMS IN Boana (ANURA: HYLIDAE) AND Pristimantis (ANURA: STRABOMANTIDAE)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2024.4.990Keywords:
Boana pardalis, defensive behavior, limbs interweave, legs interweaving, Pristimantis guianensisAbstract
Antipredator mechanisms are efficient ways to avoid attempted predations, and various forms exist in nature. Anurans play a crucial role in the trophic chain and show a diverse repertoire of mechanisms. However, due to the vast diversity of anurans, little is known about the antipredator mechanism repertoire of each species. Here, we present an updated list of mechanisms reported for two genera of anurans, Pristimantis and Boana, including nine new antipredator behaviors for Pristimantis aff. guianensis and Boana pardalis. One of those behaviors is the limbs interweave, a rare mechanism reported for only 14 anuran species. Our findings highlight the importance of empirical research and direct natural history observation. Even for well-known species, knowledge on natural history can be limited.
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