Anthony M. Nowacki, Natalie A. Weir, Darlene Rodriguez, Olutayo A. Sogunro, Tiffany M. Doan
South American Journal of Herpetology 6 (3), 234-238, (1 December 2011) https://doi.org/10.2994/057.006.0311
KEYWORDS: Anura, hydroregulation, Leptodactylus andreae, microhabitat, Peru, water proximity
Because anurans are highly dependent on water for hydroregulation and respiration, they may use microhabitats that are in proximity to standing water preferentially to other microhabitats, especially during dry periods. We examined the anuran assemblage of Sachavacayoc, Peru during the dry season to test if lake proximity, distance to trees, temperature, and humidity influenced anuran abundance and diversity in the leaf litter of a rainforest habitat. We conducted quadrat searches of paired plots at the shore of a lake and 25 m distant from the lake's shore. Both overall abundance of anurans and abundance of the most common species, Leptodactylus andreae, a terrestrial breeding species, were significantly higher in the lakeshore quadrats. Temperatures at capture sites in the shore quadrats were significantly higher; frogs were significantly closer to trees in the away-from-water quadrats. Humidities at points of capture did not differ significantly with quadrat position. For eight of the 14 species captured, more individuals were found in shore quadrats than inland quadrats, which supports our hypothesis. Likewise, L. andreae was more abundant at the lake's shore, even though previous studies have not recorded this species utilizing lakeshore habitats. The extreme lack of rain experienced immediately preceding and during the study may have caused the frogs, including L. andreae, to shift their microhabitats to a more humid area to prevent dehydration. Additional studies that examine the fine scale spacing in relation to large water bodies will shed more light on this phenomenon.