The Manapany day gecko Phelsuma inexpectata has experienced drastic population declines over the past decade in its native range on Réunion Island. We detail the establishment of a headstarting programme aimed at improving juvenile survival. Between January 2021 and November 2022, 40 wild-caught hatchlings were raised in captivity until they reached adult size and then reintroduced into their original populations. Geckos were kept in outdoor exo-terrariums within a predator-proof facility. To ensure a consistent food supply for captive geckos, we set up captive breeding of the tropical house cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus. The geckos developed well in captivity and all 40 geckos reached adulthood. Our headstarting programme represents the first local captive management initiative for a Phelsuma gecko.
Uganda hosts a rich diversity of amphibians and reptiles, although many species remain Data Deficient, highlighting the need for comprehensive field studies. We report on the species richness, diversity patterns and local distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the Kagera riverine landscape of Uganda. A multidisciplinary approach was used, combining visual surveys, acoustic monitoring and Local Ecological Knowledge gathered through interviews. The study identified 21 amphibian and 12 reptile species, with distribution patterns influenced by both environmental conditions and human activities. Quantitative analysis demonstrated varying species richness across different sites, with mining activities showing the most pronounced negative effects on amphibian diversity. Ethno-herpetological surveys, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, revealed that local perceptions, particularly associating herpetofauna with misfortune and fear, could impact conservation efforts. This study emphasises the need for continued research to inform conservation strategies, particularly in unprotected and vulnerable habitats such as the Kagera basin.
Invasive alien species affect ecosystems worldwide, and the red-eared slider Trachemys scripta elegans is among the most successful invaders. Analysis of the gut contents of 11 individuals revealed a primarily herbivorous diet, with frequent consumption of large quantities of grasses. Red-eared sliders were also found to consume animal material, including crayfish, bivalve molluscs, insects, fish and birds. The species preys on the invasive red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, of which they appear to be a prominent predator. Thus, to conserve the native fauna, implementing removal strategies for both red-eared sliders and red swamp crayfish is considered essential.
Based on morphological and molecular analyses, we report new records, an updated geographic distribution map, and insights into the diet of Pseudopaludicola javae, a recently described species from the transition zone between the Amazonia and Cerrado biomes in Brazil. The new records represent the first known occurrences of the species in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Pará, as well as the confirmation of its presence on the left bank of the Araguaia River, providing valuable data for future conservation assessments of the species.
Species coexisting in ensembles generally use resources differently. This partitioning arises to avoid negative interactions between heterospecifics, such as competition, resulting in a structured resource use. In this study, we characterise microhabitat and dietary resources; additionally, we evaluate dietary niche overlap within the rain frogs (Strabomantidae: Pristimantinae) ensemble in San Lorenzo sector of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Our results indicate that microhabitat use was different among seven species within the ensemble; except for Serranobatrachus cristinae, S. delicatus and S. carmelitae, the other species showed association for one type of microhabitat, such as Tachiramantis tayrona to bromeliads. On the other hand, we obtained stomach contents for three species: S. sanctaemartae, S. megalops and S. cristinae. The diet consisted mainly of insects, and to a lesser extent myriapods, crustaceans and arachnids. No significant differences were observed between the diets of S. sanctaemartae and S. cristinae, but there were notable distinctions between S. sanctaemartae and S. megalops. The trophic niche overlap index suggests a partial overlap between S. cristinae and S. sanctaemartae. However, the microhabitat used by these species was different, taking food items from all the strata evaluated. Resources are generally distributed among this ensemble and some species that share microhabitat vary in diet or perch height. Keywords: coexistence, trophic niche, resources, ecology, overlap niche
Forests are being converted to agriculture throughout the tropics, driving declines in sensitive rainforest taxa. However, low-intensity agricultural systems, such as cocoa agroforestry, may provide refuges for biodiversity. Little is known about the suitability of these systems for vertebrate fauna in the Afrotropics, especially with regards to amphibians. Here, we contribute novel information on amphibian communities in African cocoa farms by investigating the effects of within-farm characteristics and surrounding habitats on the abundance and richness of amphibians. In August–September 2019, we surveyed amphibians in 15 cocoa farms and four primary forest sites in southern Cameroon, capturing 206 individuals of at least 29 species. Overall, responses of amphibians to within-farm characteristics and surrounding habitat varied between species, but at the community level the main responses were a decrease in number of captures with increasing ground vegetation height, and with increasing open agriculture and villages surrounding farms. Species also showed associations with canopy cover in farms (positive for three species), abundance of husk piles in farms (negative for three species), surrounding forest habitat (positive for two species and negative for one) and surrounding plantation or degraded forest habitat (positive for one species). Our results on the effects of surrounding habitat suggest that the composition of amphibian communities in cocoa farms may be largely influenced by the ability of species to disperse through neighbouring habitats. Additionally, we found that the relative abundance of amphibian species differed significantly between forest and cocoa: this effect appeared to be driven largely by tree frog species (genus Leptopelis), which were more abundant in forest habitats, suggesting that certain tree frog species may serve as an indicator of primary forest-like conditions. Given the current climate of agricultural intensification in Africa, our results contribute to the initial steps towards identifying amphibian-friendly agricultural practices. Keywords: agroforestry, leaf litter, microhabitat, open agriculture, tropical forest
The predation of an endangered species by its natural predators can severely impact its survival, even in protected areas. We report on the predation of the Endangered crowned river turtle Hardella thurjii by golden jackals Canis aureus in Keoladeo National Park in India. There were 48 predation instances over five months, particularly of gravid females during the breeding season. The concentration of predated carcasses along turtle breeding trails raises concerns about demographic impacts. These findings underscore the need for targeted conservation measures, such as monitoring jackal movement, installing barricades in predation hotspots, and providing care for injured turtles to reduce losses of H. thurjii.
The structure of oral apparatus and the morphology of anuran tadpoles are important for species identification. The amount of data on different aspects of biodiversity, including life history traits, has been poorly studied. With the complexity in the life cycle of anurans, our understanding in this group has been mostly lopsided, with much emphasis given on the adult forms, further begging the need to study anuran larval characters. The present study shows that tadpoles of Polypedates braueri have an elongated broadly ovoid body, special oral characteristics where mouth positioned anteroventral and a small white patch visible on the tip of snout. They are nektonic, having high tail fin and the tail musculature accounting for 52% of height of tail. The keratodont jaw starts developing at stage 25. Labial papillae and beak disappearing by stage 42. The lower jaw sheath has ‘V’ shaped and upper jaw sheath has ‘M’ shaped arch with finely serrated edge, black in colour. Polypedates braueri show different labial tooth row formula (LTRF) at different Gosner stages of their development. The LTRF at Gosner stage 25 is 3(2–3)/3; between stage 26–34 are 4(2–4)/3 or 4(2–4)/3(1); and between 35 and 41 LTRF changes to 5(2–5)/3, 5(2–5)/3(1) or 4(2–4)/3. Keywords: mouthparts, anura, LTRF, larvae, Rhacophoridae
Activities such as locomotion and reproduction, as well as immune responses, require energy and metabolites, which can lead to conflicts in the allocation of these resources. Consequently, the allocation of energy and metabolites can limit immune response or activity patterns, resulting in trade-offs. In most sick animals immune responses include behavioural depression and consequently reduced activity, perhaps enhancing resource conservation and promoting activation of the immune system. These trade-offs mediated by reduction in activity may differ between males and females due to differences in energy expenditure primarily linked to reproduction. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a simulated infection on the locomotor performance and voluntary movement of males and females of the species Xenopus laevis. We analysed locomotor endurance, jump force and voluntary activity before and after a simulated infection through injections of LPS (endotoxins from the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria). Our results showed that locomotor performance and jump force decreased after simulated infection in both sexes. Furthermore, the magnitude of the responses differed between the sexes. Females of X. laevis exhibited greater reductions in performance and jump force, which may be related to differential energy allocation, including a greater investment in gamete production by females, leading individuals to be more immunocompetent than males. Unexpectedly, and independently of sex, the simulated infection had no impact on most variables pertaining to voluntary movement, suggesting that behavioural depression did not occur. Only the number of breaths increased after the infection, with this increase being more pronounced in females, suggesting a greater energy requirement in females in the face of an immune challenge. Keywords: amphibians, behavioural depression, energetic resources, immune system, locomotion
