Reproductive biology and geographic variation of Zachaenus carvalhoi (Anura: Cycloramphidae), a Brazilian Atlantic Forest frog

Abstract

Information is presented on the reproductive biology, habitat, behavior, morphology, and variation in advertisement call in Zachaenus carvalhoi, a rare frog for which basic natural history data are lacking. The species inhabits forest leaf litter in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo in southeastern Brazil. Reproductive individuals were found from October to December; females are slightly larger than males. The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently lists Zachaenus carvalhoi as Data Deficient. We suggest transferring the species to the Near Threatened category based on the IUCN criteria A2 because of the decline of the size and quality of its severely fragmented habitat

Keywords

• conservation
• morphology
• sexual dimorphism