Breeding habit of the toad Bufo coccifer in Costa Rica, with a description of the tadpole

R.W. McDiarmid; M.S. Foster

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USGS · 5223593

Breeding habit of the toad Bufo coccifer in Costa Rica, with a description of the tadpole

R.W. McDiarmid·M.S. Foster

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Abstract

The breeding habits of Bufo coccifer were studied in northwestern Costa Rica between 1971 and 1974. This species breeds during the rainy season, at least from May through August. Males chorus from areas of shallow water. Their calls resemble those of Mexican representatives of the species in pulse rate and duration, but are closer to those of other Costa Rican and Panamanian populations in dominant frequency. Thus, our data do not clearly support recognition of Bufo cycladen as a distinct species for the Mexican populations. Amplexus is axillary, and two strings of eggs are extruded simultaneously during oviposition. Tadpoles, described for the first time in this paper, are secretive and do not aggregate. Development to metamorphosis requires about 5 weeks.

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BibTeX RIS

R.W. McDiarmid, M.S. Foster. 1981. Breeding habit of the toad Bufo coccifer in Costa Rica, with a description of the tadpole. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/5223593

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