Resting microhabitats of males of the endemic Rheohyla miotympanum (Hylidae) in different habitats of the tropical montane forest in Central Veracruz, Mexico.

Anuran conservation is paramount, as frogs represent a group of vertebrates that is highly threatened by various anthropogenic and environmental factors. Habitat management decisions must therefore be made considering the interactions between amphibians and their microhabitats. We determined the resting microhabitats of an endemic arboreal male frog, considering biotic and abiotic variables in tropical montane forest fragments and shaded coffee agroecosystems in Central Veracruz, Mexico. In a sampling effort undertaken by 580 person-hours, covering 1100 ha, 157 male small-eared treefrogs, Rheohyla miotympanum (Cope, 1863), were recorded resting in 29 plant species. Using coinertia analysis, the resting microhabitats were shown to mainly consist of five herbaceous and shrub species. Post hoc analysis showed that the significant relationship with the resting microhabitats was explained by the importance of the presence of plant species that grow at higher elevations, enabling low frog body temperature, and at a crucial distance of no more than two meters from the nearest water body. We therefore emphasize the importance of conserving coffee agroecosystems and tropical montane forest fragments, which provide resting microhabitats essential to the survival of this endemic frog in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]