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Evolution Of Biparental Care In Tropical Frogs
The Evolution of biparental care in tropical frogs is the evolution of the behaviour of a parental care system in frogs in which both the mother and father raise their offspring. Evolution Many tropical frogs have developed a parental care system where both the mother and father partake in raising their offspring. The evolution of biparental care, which is the joint effort of both parents, is a topic that is still under investigation. Biparentalism arose in some species of tropical frogs as a result of ecological conditions, the differences between the sexes, and their natural tendencies. Male parental care could have served as the basis for the development of biparental care. Phylogenetic evidence shows that male parental care is the ancestral strategy in ''Dendrobates''.Summers, K.,and Earn, D.. 1999.''The cost of polygyny and the evolution of female care in poison frogs''. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 66(4):515-538. Currently there are ''Dendrobates'' species, su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Behavioral Ecology
Behavioral ecology, also spelled behavioural ecology, is the study of the evolutionary basis for animal behavior due to ecological pressures. Behavioral ecology emerged from ethology after Niko Tinbergen outlined four questions to address when studying animal behaviors: What are the proximate causes, ontogeny, survival value, and phylogeny of a behavior? If an organism has a trait that provides a selective advantage (i.e., has adaptive significance) in its environment, then natural selection favors it. Adaptive significance refers to the expression of a trait that affects fitness, measured by an individual's reproductive success. Adaptive traits are those that produce more copies of the individual's genes in future generations. Maladaptive traits are those that leave fewer. For example, if a bird that can call more loudly attracts more mates, then a loud call is an adaptive trait for that species because a louder bird mates more frequently than less loud birds—thus sending mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" ''Triadobatrachus'' is known from the Early Triassic of Madagascar, but molecular clock, molecular clock dating suggests their split from other amphibians may extend further back to the Permian, 265 Myr, million years ago. Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics to subarctic regions, but the greatest concentration of species diversity is in tropical rainforest. Frogs account for around 88% of extant amphibian species. They are also one of the five most diverse vertebrate orders. Warty frog species tend to be called toads, but the distinction between frogs and toads is informal, not from Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy or evolutionary history. An adult frog has a stout body, protruding eyes, anteriorly-attached tongue, limb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dendrobates
''Dendrobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs native to Central and South America. It once contained numerous species, but most originally placed in this genus have been split off into other genera such as ''Adelphobates'', '' Ameerega'', '' Andinobates'', ''Epipedobates'', '' Excidobates'', ''Oophaga'', ''Phyllobates ''Phyllobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs native to Central and South America, from Nicaragua to Colombia. There are 3 different Colombian species of ''Phyllobates'', considered highly toxic species due to the poison they contain in the w ...'' and ''Ranitomeya'' (essentially all the brightly marked poison dart frogs; i.e. excluding the duller genera in the family like ''Colostethus'' and ''Hyloxalus''), leaving only five large to medium-sized species in the genus ''Dendrobates''. All the other genera used to be grouped in with ''Dendrobates'' because it was previously thought that all brightly colored poison dart frogs came from the same ancestor but t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reticulated Poison Frog
The reticulated poison frog (''Ranitomeya ventrimaculata''), known in French language, French as ''dendrobate à ventre tacheté'', is a species of poison dart frog. It is native to South America, where it can be found in Brazil, southeastern Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, and Peru. Toxicity ''R. ventrimaculata'' secretes poison through glands in the skin which protect it from fungus, fungi and bacteria as well as from predators, which are also warned to stay clear by the aposematic coloration. It is therefore often included among the poison dart frogs, although its toxin is comparatively weak. ''R. ventrimaculatus'' produces its poison by ingestion of a species of mite. Description The frog is active during the day. It grows to a size of about , with males smaller than females. Its base color is black, and it has yellow lines or dots on the back, whereas the belly has bluish or grayish color with interspersed black patches (hence the name "ventrimaculatus"); the color of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-headed Poison Frog
The red-headed poison frog (''Ranitomeya fantastica'') is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is endemic to Peru and found in the northern San Martín and Loreto Regions. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...s are primary and older secondary growth wet forests. The species uses phytotelmata for breeding, which must be present in its habitat. Females lay 2–6 eggs which male then guards. The species is threatened by collection for international pet trade as well as habitat loss. References Ranitomeya Amphibians described in 1884 Amphibians of Peru Endemic fauna of Peru Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Dendrobatidae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phytotelma
Phytotelma (plural phytotelmata) is a small water-filled cavity in a terrestrial plant. The water accumulated within these plants may serve as the habitat for associated fauna and flora. A rich literature in German summarised by Thienemann (1954) developed many aspects of phytotelm biology. Reviews of the subject by Kitching (1971) and Maguire (1971) introduced the concept of phytotelmata to English-speaking readers. A multi-authored book edited by Frank and Lounibos (1983)Frank, J.H. and Lounibos, L.P. (1983) ''Phytotelmata: Terrestrial plants as hosts for aquatic insect communities'', Plexus Press. dealt in 11 chapters with classification of phytotelmata, and with phytotelmata provided by bamboo internodes, banana leaf axils, bromeliad leaf axils, ''Nepenthes'' pitchers, ''Sarracenia'' pitchers, tree holes, and ''Heliconia'' flower bracts and leaf rolls. A classification of phytotelmata by Kitching (2000) recognizes five principal types: bromeliad tanks, certain carnivor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranitomeya Imitator
''Ranitomeya'' is a genus of dart poison frogs found in Panama and South America south to Peru and Brazil, possibly into Bolivia. Taxonomy In 2006 Grant ''et al.'' revised the systematics of poison dart frogs and placed many species formerly classified in the genera ''Dendrobates'', '' Minyobates'' and ''Phyllobates'' in ''Ranitomeya''. In 2011 Brown and colleagues, following other scientists who assumed the existence of two distinct clades in ''Ranitomeya'', erected the genus '' Andinobates'' for 12 species of ''Ranitomeya''. ''Ranitomeya'' and ''Andinobates'' frogs can be distinguished from those in genera such as ''Dendrobates'' in that they are generally smaller, have more than two colors, and seem to glitter if viewed from certain angles. ''Ranitomeya'' is widespread in the Amazon basin, whereas ''Andinobates'' species are found only in the northern Andes down to Central America. Description Adults measure no more than in snout–vent length and are typically brightly colo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ranitomeya Variabilis
''Ranitomeya'' is a genus of dart poison frogs found in Panama and South America south to Peru and Brazil, possibly into Bolivia. Taxonomy In 2006 Grant ''et al.'' revised the systematics of poison dart frogs and placed many species formerly classified in the genera ''Dendrobates'', '' Minyobates'' and ''Phyllobates'' in ''Ranitomeya''. In 2011 Brown and colleagues, following other scientists who assumed the existence of two distinct clades in ''Ranitomeya'', erected the genus ''Andinobates'' for 12 species of ''Ranitomeya''. ''Ranitomeya'' and ''Andinobates'' frogs can be distinguished from those in genera such as ''Dendrobates'' in that they are generally smaller, have more than two colors, and seem to glitter if viewed from certain angles. ''Ranitomeya'' is widespread in the Amazon basin, whereas ''Andinobates'' species are found only in the northern Andes down to Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trophic Egg
A trophic egg, in most species that produce them, usually is an unfertilised egg because its function is not reproduction but nutrition; in essence it serves as food for offspring hatched from viable eggs. The production of trophic eggs has been observed in a highly diverse range of species, including fish, amphibians, spiders and insects. The function is not limited to any particular level of parental care, but occurs in sub-social species of insects, such as the spider '' A. ferox'', as well as a few other species like the frogs ''Leptodactylus fallax'' and ''Oophaga'', and the catfish ''Bagrus meridionalis''. Parents of some species deliver trophic eggs directly to their offspring, whereas some other species simply produce the trophic eggs after laying the viable eggs; they then leave the trophic eggs where the viable offspring are likely to find them. The mackerel sharks present the most extreme example of proximity between reproductive eggs and trophic eggs; their viable offs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cannibalism (zoology)
Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, both in ancient and in recent times. The rate of cannibalism increases in nutritionally poor environments as individuals turn to members of their own species as an additional food source.Elgar, M.A. & Crespi, B.J. (1992) ''Cannibalism: ecology and evolution among diverse taxa'', Oxford University Press, Oxford ngland New York. Cannibalism regulates population numbers, whereby resources such as food, shelter and territory become more readily available with the decrease of potential competition. Although it may benefit the individual, it has been shown that the presence of cannibalism decreases the expected survival rate of the whole population and increases the risk of consuming a relative. Other negative effects may include the increased ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dendrobates Vanzolinii
''Ranitomeya vanzolinii'', also known as the Brazilian poison frog or spotted poison frog, is a species of frog from the family Dendrobatidae. It is found in the Amazonian rainforests of Brazil and Peru, and possibly Bolivia. Etymology The specific name ''vanzolinii'' honors Paulo Vanzolini, a Brazilian herpetologist and composer. Description Adults of this species grow to between snout–vent length and feed on a variety of tiny invertebrates. During the breeding season males have loud trill-like call. Unlike many species of dendrobatids the parents of ''Ranitomeya vanzolinii'' offspring return to feed their young. They will lay their fertile egg in an isolated pool. A bromeliad which has filled with water is an ideal place. Once the tadpole hatches the female encouraged by the male will lay an infertile egg into the small pool, this provides the tadpole with a food source until it can fend for itself. The parents form a stable pair during this period. Habitat and conservati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polygyny In Nature
Polygyny (; from Neo-Greek πολυγυνία, from πολύ- ''poly-'', "many", and γυνή ''gyne'', "woman" or "wife") is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male. Systems where several females mate with several males are defined either as promiscuity or polygynandry. Lek mating is frequently regarded as a form of polygyny, because one male mates with many females, but lek-based mating systems differ in that the male has no attachment to the females with whom he mates, and that mating females lack attachment to one another.Clutton-Brock T.H. (1989). ‘Review lecture: mammalian mating systems.' ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London''. Series B, Biological Sciences 236: 339–372. Polygyny is typical of one-male, multi-female groupsBoyd, R., & Silk, J. B. (2009). How Humans Evolved (preferably the downloadable pdf version): WW Norton & Company, New York. and can be found in many species includi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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