Download Amphibians of Jamaica

Amphibians
of Jamaica
Peter Vogel
Department of Life Sciences
Mona Campus
University of the West Indies
Native Frogs:
21 species, all endemic
 Family Leptodactylidae
• Genus Eleutherodactylus (Whistling frogs, “toads”)
17 species; snout-vent-length (SVL) 20-40 mm
 Family Hylidae
• Genus Hyla
Two species with SVL up to 40 mm
• Genus Osteopilus: one species, SVL up to 80 mm
• Genus Calyptahyla: one species, SVL up to 80 mm
Some authors consider all four Jamaican hylid frogs
to be Osteopilus.
Hylids: arboreal
Toes with digital pads
Association with Bromeliads
Jamaica’s hylid
frogs are closely
associated with
bromeliads.
Bromeliads (Wild Pines)
Water pools form between the base of the leaves
Pools Used by Many
Bromeliad Crab
Wild Pine Sargeant
(Jamaican Blackbird)
Egg Deposition
Tadpoles
Female feeds larvae with
unfertilized eggs
Tadpole Growth
All scale lines = 5 mm)
Eleutherodactylus
Eleutherodactylus Ecomorphs
Jamaican Species:
Terrestrial
10
Leaf Litter
1
Low Climber 1
Bromeliad
1
Rock/Cave
3
Aquatic
1
------------------------------TOTAL 17
(evolved from one ancestor)
Size: 20-40 mm SVL
Eleutherodactylus Distribution
Occurrence
• Islandwide
• West and central
• East
n species
4
6
7
Digital Pads
• 4 fingers
• 5 toes
• Digital Pads (toe pads, toe
discs)
• Water film provides
adhesion to surface
• Size of pads varies among
ecomorphs; terrestrial
ecomorphs have the
smallest pads
Species Density
Centres of Frog Diversity:
Cockpit Country,
Blue Mountains
Pattern Polymorphism
•Mottled; with W
•Dorsolateral stripes
•Mid-dorsal stripe
•Broad mid-dorsal
stripe
•Picket (pointed stake)
•Pelvic spots
•Interoccular bar
•Purple
Direct Development
Eggs deposited
at moist place
• Under stones
• Leaf litter
• Husk piles
Froglets Develop in Egg
Early stage
Late stage
Froglets measure only a few mm
Parental Care
E. cundalli (female)
Jamaica
E. coqui (male)
Puerto Rico
Protection against Predation
Froglet Transport in E. cundalli
Observed in
Windsor Cave
Introduced Species
 Bufo marinus (Marine Toad, “Bullfrog”)
 Two species of Eleutherodactylus
E. johnstonei
Bufo marinus eating mouse
Introduced in Black River Morass
 Rana catesbeiana (Bullfrog)
 Leptodactylus fallax (Mountain Chicken)
Eleutherodactylus alticola
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus cavernicola
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus fuscus
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus griphus
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus junori
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus orcutti
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus sisyphodemus
Critically Endangered (CR)
Eleutherodactylus andrewsi
Endangered (EN)
Eleutherodactylus grabhami
Endangered (EN)
Eleutherodactylus jamaicensis
Endangered (EN)
Eleutherodactylus luteolus
Endangered (EN)
Eleutherodactylus nubicola
Endangered (EN)
Osteopilus crucialis
Endangered (EN)
Osteopilus marianae
Endangered (EN)
Osteopilus wilderi
Endangered (EN)
Eleutherodactylus cundalli
Vulnerable (VU)
Eleutherodactylus pentasyringos
Vulnerable (VU)
Eleutherodactylus glaucoreius
Near Threatened (NT)
Eleutherodactylus pantoni
Near Threatened (NT)
Eleutherodactylus gossei
Least Concern (LC)
Osteopilus brunneus
Least Concern (LC)