Egg burying behaviour in Pristimantis highlights the link between direct development and specialised parental care

• Published in: Ecology and evolution 2023-12, Vol.13 (12), p.e10808-n/a
• Main Authors: Angiolani‐Larrea, Francesca Nicole, Jindiachi, Lelis, Tinajero‐Romero, José Gabriel, Valencia‐Aguilar, Anyelet, Garrido‐Priego, Marina, Culebras, Jaime, Ringler, Eva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anura; Behavioural Ecology; Nature Notes; oviposition; parental care; Pristimantis chocoensis; reproductive strategies; terrestrial eggs
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10808

One of the most extreme adaptations to terrestriality in anurans is direct development, where eggs from terrestrial clutches entirely circumvent an aquatic tadpole stage and directly develop into small froglets. We here report the first case of egg‐burying behaviour in a neotropical direct‐developing frog with subsequent short‐term maternal care. An amplectant pair of Pristimantis chocoensis was found at the Reserva Canandé in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, and we recorded oviposition and the later rotation and active burying of the clutch by the female. Both parents remained close to the nest area the following day. This rare observation sheds light on the complex but often cryptic reproductive behaviours of terrestrial amphibians and suggests that the evolution of direct development has selected for highly specialized forms of parental care. Resumen Una de las adaptaciones más extremas a la terrestreidad en los anuros es el desarrollo directo, donde los huevos de puestas terrestres evitan por completo la etapa de renacuajo acuático y se desarrollan directamente en versiones miniatura de los adultos. Aquí informamos el primer caso de comportamiento de enterrar huevos en una rana neotropical de desarrollo directo con posterior cuidado materno a corto plazo. Una pareja amplectante de Pristimantis chocoensis fue encontrada en la Reserva Canandé en Esmeraldas‐Ecuador, y registramos la oviposición y la posterior rotación y enterramiento activo de la puesta por parte de la hembra. Ambos padres permanecieron cerca del área del nido durante el día siguiente. Esta rara observación arroja luz sobre los complejos, pero a menudo crípticos, comportamientos reproductivos de los anfibios terrestres y sugiere que la evolución del desarrollo directo ha seleccionado formas altamente especializadas de cuidado parental. We report the first case of egg‐burying behaviour in a neotropical direct‐developing frog. Both parents remained near the nest during the following day. This rare observation sheds light over the intricate reproductive behaviours of terrestrial amphibians and suggests that the evolution of direct development has selected for highly specialized forms of parenting.