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We provide a detailed description of the reproduction of the tree frogAgalychnis granulosa, including its advertisement call.Agalychnis granulosabreeds in ponds and the backwaters of streams within primary forests. The breeding season started at the beginning of the wet season and ended two months before the beginning of the dry season. Males called at night in the vegetation around the ponds at a maximum distance of 5 m from the water. The call was composed of a single note with three to seven pulses and a dominant frequency ranging from 1490 to 2101 Hz. Oviposition sites included tree trunks, attached leaves, fallen leaves and bromeliad roots, and ranged in height from 0 to 300 cm above the water. Egg clutches were composed of approximately 45 eggs encapsulated by a transparent gelatinous matrix. Empty egg capsules (4–7 per clutch) were recorded in 36% of the clutches. Great plasticity was observed in the reproductive strategies ofA. granulosa, probably reflecting the varying competition and predation at the different life stages of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The breeding biology and male territorial behaviour of the large-headed leaf-frog (Phyllomedusa megacephala) were studied in three temporary altitudinal streams located in the Cerrado biome of southeastern Brazil, during three consecutive years (2007–2009). Phyllomedusa megacephala showed significant sexual dimorphism, with females being bigger and heavier than males. Acoustic and physical interactions between males defending or not defending territories including amplectant and non-amplectant males, patrolling behaviour by males without established territories, and triple amplexus were observed. Neither males nor females were observed using visual cues when searching for mates. We found that males that were present at breeding sites in previous years bred more successfully and maintained territory better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural practice is an important factor that threatens biodiversity. However, modified habitats such as irrigated rice fields could serve as potential refuges for several species of amphibians. This study describes the composition of an anuran assemblage in an irrigated rice field system in the Pantanal floodplains of central Brazil. The low species richness found in rice fields and neighbouring habitats can be interpreted as resulting from the structural limitations of a modified environment. Flooding occurs for longer periods than in natural areas and leads to a lack of dry space, hindering the presence of terrestrial anuran species. Furthermore, the absence of herbaceous vegetation and shrubs in cultivated fields prevents the establishment of species of large tree frog. A positive correlation was found between rainfall and richness, although the abundance of some species did not fit this relationship. The present study suggests that only anuran species that are generalists and highly resilient will survive as the natural wetlands are transformed into irrigated rice plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]