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Physiological basis of habitat partitioning in Jamaican Eleutherodactylus

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Summary

Rate of evaporation, resistance to drying, temperature selection, and critical thermal maximum were measured for Jamaican Eleutherodactylus acclimated to 20° C and a 12:12 L:D photoperiod. Two introduced species, E. planirostris and E. johnstonei, selected higher temperatures and had higher CTMs than two native species, E. cundalli and E. gossei. The introduced species lost water as rapidly as the native species, but tolerated 30–73% greater water loss before losing their righting response. The physiological differences are reflected in the microhabitat selection and activity patterns of the four species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Ecology and Systematics, Langmuir Laboratory, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA

    F. Harvey Pough & Richard G. Thomas

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, 12222, Albany, USA

    Margaret M. Stewart

Authors
  1. F. Harvey Pough
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  2. Margaret M. Stewart
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  3. Richard G. Thomas
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Pough, F.H., Stewart, M.M. & Thomas, R.G. Physiological basis of habitat partitioning in Jamaican Eleutherodactylus . Oecologia 27, 285–293 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345561

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345561

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