| Phyllomedusa tomopterna |
| Maki Frog Phyllomedusa tomopterna These frogs, like other members of the genus, live high up in the canopy of the South American rainforest. They will only come to the ground for mating and breeding. The males arrive earlier in the evening at a flood pond and start calling from places approx. 4 to 6 m above ground. The slightly larger females arrive later (as usually). They check out the scene and then choose the most attractive man* which is not yet taken (as usually). The male mounts the female and they both chose a suitable leaf above the pond which they fold up to a nice funnel. The edges are sealed by a special secretion. Rather few largish eggs are laid into the funnel. |
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*) Attractivity of male frogs is not judged by physical beauty but by the quality of their song. |
| The eggs develop in the relative safety of the folded up leaf. When embryos have used up the yolk and have developed to the mobile tadpole stage, the shell of the eggs and the surrounding gel-like substance soften and release the young. Predation by fish and other aquatic animals is thus reduced. But there is a couple of predatory and parasitic insects (wasps, flies) that have specialised in preying on frog eggs or laying their own eggs into the clutches of Phyllomedusa, whose eggs or embryos will then be eaten by the insect larvae. |
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