Thoropa taophora, also known as the rock frog, is a species of frog in the family Cycloramphidae. These frogs are native to Brazil, where they inhabit the mountains and costal areas within the State of Sao Paolo. They are also one of many species to live in the great global diversity hotspot of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Territoriality is an important behavior for adult T. taophora males. Male individuals compete to monopolize breeding sites, which ultimately defines their reproductive success. Rates of survival for T. taophora offspring depend heavily on choosing the correct egg laying site. Egg clutches are typically laid in an environment containing flowing freshwater on a rocky surface, giving the frog its general name.
An interesting characteristic of T. taophora tadpoles is their cannibalistic behavior towards clutches laid by other females apart from their mother's. This comes as a result of the lack of adequate breeding sites that males choose from likely due to the increasing biome fragmentation, such as that of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Hence, males primarily participate in egg guarding to ensure the greatest survival rate for their offspring.
Description
Thoropa taophora tadpoles are dorsoventrally flat with a tail reaching a max length that makes up 70 percent of the animals total body length. The end of metamorphosis is marked with the total reabsorption of the individual's tail. T. taophora frogs, like many other anurans, have highly permeable skin which greatly increases their risk of dehydration and may restrict locomotor performance.
Thoropa taophora fall under the T. Miliaris group, and differ from their sibling groups in their restrictive habitat preferences including the eastern mountains and costal areas in the State of Sao Paulo. The T. miliaris subgroup differs from the T. petropolitana group in their medium to large (more than 35 mm) adult body sizes. Moreover, their males have nuptial spines on their second, third and fourth fingers and tadpoles have reduced abdominal discs.
Habitat and distribution
Geographical distribution
This species is primarily found scattered along the coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. They have been found in costal places such as Mongaguá, São Sebastião, Ubatuba, Caraguatatuba, Paranapiacaba and Anchieta, and the Vitória and Búzios islands. They also reside in slightly more inland places in the State of Paraná, such as the Biological Station of Boracéia (Salesópolis) and Cubatão.
Habitat
Their geographical location on the coast of Brazil places them primarily within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest—a global biodiversity hotspot with assorted habitats primarily due to its great latitudinal range and complex topography. This forest houses more than 500 frog species, which is almost ten percent of the world’s anuran species. More specifically, Thoropa taophora choose eastern mountains and coastal areas in São Paulo.
Conservation
Habitat loss
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where this species primarily lives, is one of the most fragmented biomes in the world. Fragmentation of natural habitats is one of the top threats of biodiversity, greatly harming the species within this forest due to the decrease in overall habitat availability and quality in addition to changes in spatial configuration. This can lead to erosion of neutral and adaptive genetic diversity populations because of decreasing population size and inter-population interactions. Due to this, there is a higher chance of genetic drift, more inbreeding, lower evolutionary potential, and an overall higher risk of extinction.
Reproduction and life cycle
Thoropa taophora tadpoles feed and develop in freshwater seeps as semiterrestrial animals.
Mating
Male/male interactions
Thoropa taophora males exhibit a strong competitive nature and great territoriality. Mating is heavily dependent on the aggressive defense displayed by male individuals due to scarce breeding sites. Monopolization of breeding sites comes as a result, thus leading to few, highly fit males dominating the reproductive scene.
Mate searching behavior
Males attract females with a mating call. Females search for males that have claimed territoriality over an environment that contains damp rock walls, such as freshwater seeps. This is because the semi-terrestrial tadpoles require both water in addition to rock substrate to be able to develop.