Amphibian life history in a temperate environment of the Mexican Plateau: dimorphism, phenology and trophic ecology of a hylid frog, Hyla eximia (= Dryophytes eximius )

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 6; p. e5897
• Main Authors: Hernández-Salinas, Uriel, Ramírez-Bautista, Aurelio, Stephenson, Barry P, Cruz-Elizalde, Raciel, Berriozabal-Islas, Christian, Jesús Balderas-Valdivia, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PeerJ. Ltd 08.11.2018; PeerJ, Inc; PeerJ Inc
• Subjects: Amphibian; Animal Behavior; Biodiversity; Biology; Body mass; Body size; Coleoptera; Community ecology; Diet; Dimorphism; Dimorphism (Biology); Diptera; Ecohydrology; Ecology; Environmental aspects; Environmental conditions; Feeding behavior; Females; Frogs; Growth patterns; Growth rate; Habitats; Humidity; Hyla eximia; Life history; Males; Morphology; Phenology; Physiological aspects; Precipitation; Prey; Reproduction; Reproductive status; Seasons; Mexico; Chicago Illinois; Reproduction; Diet; Growth rate; Amphibian
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5897

The study of demographic and life history aspects of an organism provides valuable information for its conservation. Here, we analyze the phenology of the Mountain Treefrog (= ) in a temperate environment of the Mexican Plateau. Females were larger in snout-vent length and body mass than males. The peak period of activity occurred in the rainy season (May-September), with amplexus and egg deposition occurring between June and July, and larval development from July to August. A logistic model best explained observed male growth patterns, while the Von Bertalanffy model better described female growth. Notably, males grew faster than females, although females reached a larger overall body size. The diet of this species is made up of 10 prey categories. The index of diet importance indicated that males feed mainly on Coleoptera and Diptera, while females feed on Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Aranea. Both females and males showed a significant abundance of plant material in their stomachs, suggesting that might exhibit highly specialized feeding behavior. Reproduction was seasonal, and both female and male reproductive cycles are synchronized with the rainy season. These natural history characteristics provide information to better understand their responses to environmental conditions.