Neotropical tadpoles: spatial and temporal distribution and habitat use at a seasonal lake in Veracruz, Mexico

We studied a tadpole assemblage in a seasonal neotropical lake where 14 species of anurans reproduce. Tadpoles were collected monthly at nine sampling stations at depth intervals of 1 m from the surface to the bottom (13 m). Sufficient numbers of tadpoles of three species were collected to compare h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhyllomedusa Vol. 1; no. 2; pp. 81 - 91
Main Authors Roberto E. Torres-Orozco, Cecilia L. Jimenez-Sierra, Richard C. Vogt, Jose-Luiz Villareal Benitez
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Universidade de São Paulo 01.12.2002
Subjects
Anura
Gastrophryne ustra
habitat use
Mexico
Rana berlandieri
Smilisca baudinii
tadpoles
temporal distribution
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Summary:We studied a tadpole assemblage in a seasonal neotropical lake where 14 species of anurans reproduce. Tadpoles were collected monthly at nine sampling stations at depth intervals of 1 m from the surface to the bottom (13 m). Sufficient numbers of tadpoles of three species were collected to compare habitat use. This three species assemblage breed in the following order (first to last) Smilisca baudinii, Gastrophryne ustra and Rana berlandieri. R. berlandieri had the greatest microhabitat breadth followed by S. baudinii. S. baudinii and G. usta had high mycrohabitat overlap, but significant differences in microhabitats use were found. S. baudinii tended to occur near the bottom, while G. usta was near the surface. This study shows that temporal and habitat partitioning both occur and depend on the species of tadpole. Dynamic interactions occur between habitat and temporal dimensions. Phenology and habitat selection depend both on the species and on biotic and abiotic factors.
ISSN:1519-1397