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On the courtship, breeding behaviour and vocalisation of Rhinella ornata (Spix, 1824) (Anura, Bufonidae): a well-marked escalated behaviour in a lek-like system

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Abstract

Courtship and breeding behaviour of anurans is species-specific and defined by vocalisation, although breeding activities are still understudied for many species. Here, we describe the courtship behaviour and unpublished associated vocalisation (release and aggressive calls) of Rhinella ornata at a degraded area of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest within Xixová-Japuí State Park (PEXJ). Fifteen subjects distributed in five subgroups in the same lek-like systems were observed during two consecutive nights in September 2015, totalling eight fieldwork hours. A total of 79 vocalisations were analysed, and the behavioural sequence of activities carried out by the subjects was described. Results show a pattern regarding the behavioural sequence exhibited by males, starting with the arrival of the resident male at the calling site and its vocalisation to an intruder male. Although this sequence did not vary between the five observed groups, a slight difference in the time they started was reported, but with a narrow range. We also provided the first description of the release call for this species. The overall behavioural tactics of R. ornata to approach females seem uncommon among bufonids. Although further investigation is required to better understand additional aspects of the courtship and breeding behaviour of R. ornata, our findings improve the overall understanding of this species’ biology.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Technical-Scientific Commission (COTEC; licence permit no. 260108–002.434/2015; O.B.F. Gadig principal investigator) of the Forestry Foundation (São Paulo State Secretariat for the Environment) for permits; PEXJ administration (Chief P.J.V. Menna) for allowing and encouraging the study at the park area; the PEXJ crew Mariana, Christian and Márcio, for the fieldwork companionship; O.B.F. Gadig for the help with administrative issues and J. Torres for helping in the fieldwork.

Funding

The Pro-Rectory for Research of UNESP financially supported this study (IN Principal Investigator; call no. 09/2016-PROPe/UNESP). This was also financially supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

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  1. Laboratório de Paleontologia de Vertebrados e Comportamento Animal (LAPC); Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH), Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, 09606-045, Brazil

    Fabiana R. Costa

  2. Programa de Pós-graduação em Biodiversidade de Ambientes Costeiros, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus do Litoral Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, 11330-900, Brazil

    Pedro Henrique A. G. Moura & Ivan Nunes

  3. Laboratório de Herpetologia (LHERP), Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus do Litoral Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, 11330-900, Brazil

    Pedro Henrique A. G. Moura & Ivan Nunes

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  1. Fabiana R. Costa
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Correspondence to Pedro Henrique A. G. Moura.

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Costa, F.R., Moura, P.H.A.G. & Nunes, I. On the courtship, breeding behaviour and vocalisation of Rhinella ornata (Spix, 1824) (Anura, Bufonidae): a well-marked escalated behaviour in a lek-like system. acta ethol 23, 69–77 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-020-00339-6

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