TABLE OF CONTENTS IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • … · TABLE OF CONTENTS IRCF REPTILES &...
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IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • 23(1):32–33 • APR 2016 Necrophiliac Behavior in the Common Asian Toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider 1799) in Western India Harshil Patel 1 , Pranav Vaghashiya 2 , and Shantilal K. Tank 1 1 Department of Biosciences, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat-395007, Gujarat, India ([email protected]) 2 Amrutam, 193/Bapunagar, Joshipura, Junagadh-362002, Gujarat, India 32 IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS CONSERVATION AND NATURAL HISTORY Copyright © 2016. Harshil Patel. All rights reserved. WWW.IRCF.ORG/REPTILESANDAMPHIBIANSJOURNAL N ecrophilia, also known as thanatophilia or Davian behavior, is a form of reproductive behavior that involves attempted copulation with dead conspecifics; it has been reported in several species of all major groups of tetra- pods (Dickerman 1960; Lehner 1988; Sinovas 2009; Costa et al. 2010). Among anurans, Davian behavior has been reported in a few species from North and South America and Europe (Bedoya et al. 2014; Bettaso et al. 2008; Brito et al. 2012; Izzo et al. 2012; Meshaka 1996; Mollov et al. 2010; Sinovas 2009). Although a widespread phenomenon, no pub- lished reports document this behavior in any Asian anurans. Here, we provide the first report of necrophilia in an Asian species, the Common Asian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus [Schneider 1799]), which is widely distributed in the Indo- Malayan region. On 13 June 2013 at approximately 2230 h on a road passing through a forest patch in the outskirts of Junagadh, Gujarat, India (23°31’52”N, 70°28’46”E; 95 m asl), we found an adult male Duttaphrynus melanostictus in axillary amplexus with a road-killed conspecific female (Fig. 1). The rhythmic contractions of the male indicated that it was try- ing to copulate. The pair remained in the same position for 4–5 min until the male released the corpse and retreated into nearby vegetation when approached by one of us (PV). We could not confirm whether the pair was in amplexus when the female was run over. However, we presume that Fig. 1. An adult male Common Asian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) in amplexus with a road-killed conspecific female.
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IRCFREPTILES&HIBIANS•23(1):32–33•APR2016
Necrophiliac Behavior in the Common Asian Toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus
(Schneider 1799) in Western IndiaHarshil Patel1, Pranav Vaghashiya2, and Shantilal K. Tank1
1DepartmentofBiosciences,VeerNarmadSouthGujaratUniversity,Surat-395007,Gujarat,India([email protected])2Amrutam,193/Bapunagar,Joshipura,Junagadh-362002,Gujarat,India
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IRCF REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS • VOL15, NO 4 • DEC 2008 189TABLE OF CONTENTS
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
F E A T U R E A R T I C L E S
Chasing Bullsnakes (Pituophis catenifer sayi) in Wisconsin: On the Road to Understanding the Ecology and Conservation of the Midwest’s Giant Serpent ...................... Joshua M. Kapfer 190
The Shared History of Treeboas (Corallus grenadensis) and Humans on Grenada: A Hypothetical Excursion ............................................................................................................................Robert W. Henderson 198
R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E S
The Texas Horned Lizard in Central and Western Texas ....................... Emily Henry, Jason Brewer, Krista Mougey, and Gad Perry 204 The Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida
.............................................Brian J. Camposano, Kenneth L. Krysko, Kevin M. Enge, Ellen M. Donlan, and Michael Granatosky 212
C O N S E R V A T I O N A L E R T
World’s Mammals in Crisis ............................................................................................................................................................. 220 More Than Mammals ...................................................................................................................................................................... 223 The “Dow Jones Index” of Biodiversity ........................................................................................................................................... 225
H U S B A N D R Y
Captive Care of the Central Netted Dragon ....................................................................................................... Shannon Plummer 226
P R O F I L E
Kraig Adler: A Lifetime Promoting Herpetology ................................................................................................ Michael L. Treglia 234
C O M M E N T A R Y
The Turtles Have Been Watching Me ........................................................................................................................ Eric Gangloff 238
B O O K R E V I E W
Threatened Amphibians of the World edited by S.N. Stuart, M. Hoffmann, J.S. Chanson, N.A. Cox, R. Berridge, P. Ramani, and B.E. Young .............................................................................................................. Robert Powell 243
CONSERVATION RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Conservation Research Reports ................................. 245 NATURAL HISTORY RESEARCH REPORTS: Summaries of Published Reports on Natural History ................................. 247 NEWBRIEFS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 248 EDITORIAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................................................... 251 FOCUS ON CONSERVATION: A Project You Can Support ............................................................................................... 252
Front Cover. Shannon Plummer.Totat et velleseque audant mo estibus inveliquo velique rerchil erspienimus, quos accullabo. Ilibus aut dolor apicto invere pe dolum fugiatis maionsequat eumque moditia erere nonsedis ma sectiatur ma derrovitae voluptam, as quos accullabo.
Back Cover. Michael KernTotat et velleseque audant mo
estibus inveliquo velique rerchil erspienimus, quos accullabo. Ilibus
aut dolor apicto invere pe dolum fugiatis maionsequat eumque
moditia erere nonsedis ma sectia-tur ma derrovitae voluptam, as
IRC
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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANSC O N S E R V AT I O N A N D N AT U R A L H I S T O R Y
Copyright©2016.HarshilPatel.Allrightsreserved.
WWW.IRCF.ORG/REPTILESANDAMPHIBIANSJOURNAL
Necrophilia, also known as thanatophilia or Davian behavior, is a form of reproductive behavior that
involves attempted copulation with dead conspecifics; it has been reported in several species of all major groups of tetra-pods(Dickerman1960;Lehner1988;Sinovas2009;Costaet al. 2010).Amonganurans,Davianbehaviorhasbeenreported in a few species from North and South America and Europe(Bedoyaetal.2014;Bettasoetal.2008;Britoetal.2012;Izzoetal.2012;Meshaka1996;Mollovetal.2010;Sinovas2009).Althoughawidespreadphenomenon,nopub-lished reports document this behavior in any Asian anurans. Here, we provide the first report of necrophilia in an Asian species,theCommonAsianToad(Duttaphrynus melanostictus
[Schneider1799]),whichiswidelydistributedintheIndo-Malayan region. On13June2013atapproximately2230honaroadpassingthroughaforestpatchintheoutskirtsofJunagadh,Gujarat, India (23°31’52”N,70°28’46”E;95masl),wefound an adult male Duttaphrynus melanostictusinaxillaryamplexuswitharoad-killedconspecificfemale(Fig.1).Therhythmic contractions of the male indicated that it was try-ing to copulate. The pair remained in the same position for 4–5minuntilthemalereleasedthecorpseandretreatedintonearbyvegetationwhenapproachedbyoneofus(PV). Wecouldnotconfirmwhetherthepairwasinamplexuswhen the female was run over. However, we presume that
Fig. 1.AnadultmaleCommonAsianToad(Duttaphrynus melanostictus)inamplexuswitharoad-killedconspecificfemale.
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the male was attracted by the chemical trail left by the female as the female was probably secreting pheromones to attract breeding males. The high number of female Duttaphrynus melanostictus killed on Indian roads passing through forested areas during the early monsoon season could elicit a high fre-quency of Davian behavior. A similar phenomenon has been reportedinsomeexplosivebreedinganuransintheUnitedStates(Meshaka1996).Thecauseofnecrophiliaisconsid-ered to be a lack of proper recognition by males while seeking amate,whichresultsinbehavioralmistakes(Bedoyaetal.2014;Bettasoetal.2008;Britoetal.2012;Sinovas2009).However,necrophiliamaybefunctionalinanurans(Izzoetal.2012)ifpersistentmalessucceedinpromotingtheejec-tion of oocytes from the abdominal cavities of dead females andfertilizethem.FuturestudiesonbreedingecologyandcontrolledexperimentswillenableustobetterunderstandDavian behavior in amphibians.
AcknowledgmentsWe are thankful to Amit Vaghashiya and Elvis Katara for their help during fieldwork. This work was supported by the Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi (FellowshipIF130480toHP).
Literature CitedBedoya,S.C.,J.C.Mantilla-Castaño,andI.M.Pareja-Márquez. 2014.Necrophiliac
andinterspecificamplexusinDendropsophus columbianus (Anura:Hylidae)inthe Central Cordillera of Colombia. Herpetology Notes 7:515–516.
Bettaso,J.,A.Haggarty,andE.Russell.2008.Rana boylii(FoothillYellow-leggedFrog).Necrogamy.Herpetological Review 39:462.
Brito,L.B.M.,I.R.Joventino,S.C.Ribeiro,andP.Gascon.2012.Necrophiliacbehavior in the “cururu” toad, Rhinella jimi Steuvax, 2002, (Anura,Bufonidae)fromNortheasternBrazil.North-Western Journal of Zoology 8:365–366.
Costa, H.C., E.T. Silva, P.S. Campos, M.P.C. Oliveira, A.V. Nunes, and P.S. Santos.2010.Thecorpsebride:AcaseofDavianbehaviorintheGreenAmeiva(Ameiva ameiva)insoutheasternBrazil.Herpetology Notes 3:79–83.
Dickerman,R.W.1960.“Davianbehaviourcomplex”ingroundsquirrels.Journal of Mammalogy 41:403.
Izzo,T.J.,D.J.Rodrigues,M.Menin,A.P.Lima,andW.E.Magnusson.2012.Functionalnecrophilia:Aprofitableanuranreproductivestrategy?Journal of Natural History 46:2961–2967.
Lehner,P.N.1988.AvianDavianbehaviour.Wilson Bulletin 100:293–294.
Meshaka,W.E.Jr.1996.AnuranDavianbehavior:ADarwiniandilemma.Florida Scientist 59:74–75.
Mollov,I.A.,G.S.Popgeorgiev,B.Y.Naumov,N.D.Tzankov,andA.Y.Stoyanov.2010.Casesof abnormalamplexus inanurans (Amphibia:Anura) fromBulgaria and Greece. Biharean Biologist 4:121–125.
Sinovas,P.2009.Bombina variegata (YellowFire-belliedToad).MatingBehavior.Herpetological Review 40:199.
IRCFREPTILES&HIBIANS•23(1):32–33•APR2016PATEL ET AL.
