Feeding habits and their implications for the conservation of the endangered semiaquatic frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) in a northwestern Patagonian pond

Cuello, María Elena; Bello, María Teresa; Kun, Marcelo; Úbeda, Carmen A.

doi:10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v5i1p67-76

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In our study, when the volume of water decreases during dry periods, the frogs that find temporary shelter and food under the rocks in the littoral area cannot reach any other aquatic environment due to the isolation of the pond where they live; according to our records, they were found as far as 30 m from the shoreline. The frogs withstand terrestrial environmental conditions by altering their phenotype and feeding behaviour (Cuello et al 2006a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aquatic morphotype feeds on amphipods of the genus Hyalella (Cuello et al 2006a, b), which has a high content of carotenoid pigments, and produces the typical orange-yellow ventral colour in the frogs. In terrestrial habitats, the frogs feed on various aerial arthropods instead of amphipods (Cuello et al 2006a), which appears to cause the greyish-white ventral colouring of the littoral morphotype. The fact that some individuals with well-developed folds and interdigital membranes present a ventral colouring with greyish-white and orange-yellow patches is consistent with the idea that there could be a gradual change in frog phenotype, associated to the habitat that provides different food.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Relationship between morphotypes of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and environmental conditions: evidence and possible explanation

Cuello¹,

Úbeda²,

Bello³

2008

Phyllomedusa

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Relationship between morphotypes of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and environmental conditions: evidence and possible explanation. The frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Gallardo, 1962) is endemic to an endorheic pond system in basaltic basins, in Laguna Blanca National Park and its surroundings, in northwest Argentinean Patagonia. The species has two morphotypes, aquatic and littoral, which were studied in Laguna Batea, a semi permanent pond. Aquatic and terrestrial samples were taken over a period of 31 months, including periods of drought and periods of normal precipitation. Evidence was found of the reversible character of the two morphotypes. The changes in the phenotype were consistent with the water level and limnological conditions in the pond. We believe that the change and subsequent reversal of the somatic features in these frogs are an opportunistic alternative showing remarkable plasticity of the species, which can thus inhabit both permanent and temporary ponds. Therefore, the two morphotypes, aquatic and littoral, cannot be considered as "fixed forms" within a given population, as other authors have speculated, and do not correspond to ontogenetic states.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between morphotypes of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and environmental conditions: evidence and possible explanation

Cuello¹,

Úbeda²,

Bello³

2008

Phyllomedusa

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(Odonata, Aeshnidae) (> 20 mm) were the primary food items (IRI% = 86.57), and Hyalella sp. were the secondary food items (IRI% = 12.89) (Cuello et al 2006a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Amphipods have always been recorded in the diet of the aquatic morphotype of Atelognathus patagonicus (Cei and Roig 1966, Cuello et al 2006a. As Hyalella sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atividade trófica sazonal do morfótipo aquático de Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) e disponibilidade de presas no bentos litorâneo de uma lagoa permanente da Patagônia Argentina

Cuello¹,

Úbeda²,

Bello³

et al. 2009

Phyllomedusa

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Seasonal trophic activity of the aquatic morphotype of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and prey availability in the littoral benthos of a permanent pond in Argentinean Patagonia. The diet of the aquatic morphotype of Atelognathus patagonicus was studied in frogs collected from the Laguna Verde pond (Laguna Blanca National Park, Neuquén, Argentina). The content of 35 gastrointestinal tracts of post-metamorphic specimens from November 2003 to April 2006 was related to the composition of the benthos in their microhabitat. Number, size, occurrence and relative importance of preys, diversity of the diet, trophic niche breadth and electivity were estimated for each season of the year. The diet consisted of aquatic arthropods. The composition of both the benthos and the food (number and occurrence of organisms in the diet) were dominated by the amphipod Hyalella sp. The relative importance (IRI) of Hyalella sp. in the diet was over 99% in summer and autumn, and 100% in winter and spring. Diptera and Copepoda in summer, and Dytiscidae and Ostracoda in autumn, had seasonal IRI values ≤ 0.2%. Trophic niche breadth was very low in summer and autumn, and null (= 0) in winter and spring. The mean number of preys per individual was highest in spring (19 preys/frog) and lowest in winter (4 preys/frog). Frogs continued with their trophic activity in winter, even when the surface of the pond was frozen. There is a correspondence between the frogs' main food item and its presence in the benthos. O número, o tamanho, a ocorrência e a importância relativa das presas, a diversidade da dieta, a amplitude do nicho trófico e a eletividade foram estimados para cada estação do ano. A dieta consistiu de artrópodes aquáticos. A composição do bentos e da dieta (número e ocorrência de organismos na dieta) foram dominadas pelo anfípode Hyalella sp. A importância relativa (IRI) de Hyalella sp. na dieta foi maior que 99% no verão e no outono e de 100% no inverno e na primavera. Diptera e Copepoda no verão e Dytiscidae e Ostracoda no outono tiveram valores sazonais de IRI ≤ 0,2%. A amplitude do nicho trófico foi muito baixa no verão e no outono e nula (= 0) no inverno e na primavera. O número médio de presas por indivíduo foi maior na primavera (19) e menor no inverno (4). Os anuros continuaram a se alimentar no inverno, mesmo após o congelamento da superfície da lagoa. Há uma correspondência entre o principal item alimentar desses anuros e sua presença no bentos.

show abstract

“…As a case in point, the introduction of perch (Percichthys sp.) in Laguna Blanca, a shallow lake of northern Patagonia, resulted in a dramatic shift in macrophyte cover, and in the loss of bird and amphibian diversity (Cuello et al, 2006;Ortubay et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishless shallow lakes of Southern Patagonia as habitat for waterbirds at the onset of trout aquaculture

Lancelotti

Pozzi

Yorio

et al. 2008

Aquatic Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT1. The Strobel Meseta, a basaltic plateau of Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina), holds thousands of shallow fishless lakes that are prime habitat for many species of waterbirds, including some considered 'near threatened'. In recent years, several lakes have been stocked with trout which has created uncertainty about the potential effects on the recipient ecosystem.2. Limnological and topographical analyses were performed in a group of 32 lakes of the Strobel Meseta in order to characterize and classify individual lakes of the meseta based on their limnological and topographic features, analyze the association between lake type and use by aquatic birds in general and by the endemic hooded grebe (Podiceps gallardoi) in particular, and evaluate the overlap between trout aquaculture and critical habitat for waterbirds.3. The lakes were classified by multivariate analyses into four characteristic types: turbid, high conductivity lakes (T), small vegetated lakes (SV) and larger lakes which were subdivided into either vegetated (LV) or unvegetated (LU). In general, macrophyte cover was the main classificatory variable, whereas conductivity, pH, surface, and depth contributed moderately. Large vegetated lakes were generally found to be important for waterbirds and provided critical habitat for the hooded grebe, whereas trout farmers largely favoured large unvegetated lakes. However, since some large vegetated lakes have already been stocked, there is some level of geographical overlap between waterbird habitat and trout farming.4. The existence of some level of spatial segregation between production and critical waterbird habitat affords opportunities for designing a spatially-based management system for trout aquaculture.

show abstract

Feeding habits and their implications for the conservation of the endangered semiaquatic frog Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) in a northwestern Patagonian pond

Cited by 14 publications

References 17 publications

Relationship between morphotypes of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and environmental conditions: evidence and possible explanation

Relationship between morphotypes of Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) and environmental conditions: evidence and possible explanation

Atividade trófica sazonal do morfótipo aquático de Atelognathus patagonicus (Anura, Neobatrachia) e disponibilidade de presas no bentos litorâneo de uma lagoa permanente da Patagônia Argentina

Fishless shallow lakes of Southern Patagonia as habitat for waterbirds at the onset of trout aquaculture

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About