Hello from Frank, former Bronx Zoo herpetologist

[findiviglio]

Hello All,

Frank Indiviglio here, sorry I have been so long in posting an introduction. I've recently left the Bronx Zoo after a career of many years and have been writing about and working with frogs and a host of other creatures in zoos and the field for most of my life.

Currently I'm working on a revision of one of my books, Newsts and Salamanders (Barron's), consulting for several zoos and aquariums and writing weekly articles at
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/. I've attached below a portion of a recent article re an interesting frog reproductive strategy. Others cover captive care, natural history, etc...please check in if you can, questions/comments always welcome.

I look forward to participating here on a regular basis...my schedule is sometimes hectic, but I really like what I've seen here and hope to become more involved.

Thanks, best regards, Frank

Research Notes – Hourglass Treefrogs (Dendropsophus ebraccatum) can choose either land or water as egg deposition sites

Frogs are full of surprises when it comes to reproduction – there are species that incubate eggs below the skin of their backs and in the vocal sacs, while others carry them wrapped about their rear legs or construct foam nests on land. But in May of this year Boston University biologists working in Panama uncovered what may well be the oddest reproductive strategy of all – a frog that actively chooses to lay its eggs on either land or in water, depending upon the threats presented by each habitat. To date this is the only example of an egg that can hatch in either environment, and these frogs are the only vertebrates known to show such reproductive flexibility.

When breeding near shaded ponds, hourglass frogs lay their eggs on tree leaves overhanging the water (the tadpoles drop into the water upon hatching), thus avoiding fish and other aquatic predators. However, when utilizing ponds exposed to the sun, the majority of the frogs lay their eggs directly in the water, lest they dry out before hatching.

The “decision” is not governed genetically, because the same female frog will choose different egg laying sites when placed in a shaded or un-shaded pond.

Amphibians were the first group of vertebrates to evolve some independence from water. Biologists are now studying the hourglass frog to determine if its unique egg-laying flexibility might shed light on the evolution of terrestrial amphibian eggs.

[Kurt]

Real cool stuff on Dendropsophus ebraccatum! I keep Dendropsophus leucophyllatus, so this caught my attention. I wonder if any other frogs in this genus does the same thing regarding their reproduction.

[John]

Thanks for posting Frank. I look forward to hearing more from you .

[tylototriton]

Frank,
I'm heading down to Costa Rica in March and they have ebraccatum where i'm heading. I really like where you're going with this. One of the projects i'm beginning to work on is Smilisca sp. dispersing clutches throughout proximal potholes and the reasons why they choose those particular potholes. I look forward to hearing more about your research.

Alex

[jody]

cool.

[justin shockey]

hello

[Kurt]

Hey Frank, where have you been lately?