Breeding Ecology of Amolops himalayanus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) in Bodidrang Stream, Trashigang District, Bhutan
Ash Bdr Limbu *
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
. Dophu
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Aita Bir Biswa
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Leki Sonam
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Kesang Norbu
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Dawa Gyeltshen
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Dal Bahadur Basnet
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Jamba Gyeltshen
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
Tshering Nidup
School of Life Sciences, Sherubtse Collage, Royal University of Bhutan, Bhutan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The breeding activity of Himalayan sucker frog (Amolops himalayanus), was studied under natural conditions at Bodidrang stream, Kanglung, Trashigang, Bhutan, for 12 months. We examined the correlation between meteorological factors (relative humidity, temperature and rainfall) and sightings of adult, juvenile, and tadpole/larvae individuals as well as egg masses from monthly surveys using Pearson Correlation in statistical software (Python 3.6). A. himalayanus was an explosive breeder influenced by the high seasonality in Bhutan. Adult, juvenile, and larvae individuals recorded had a positive Pearson correlation with monthly mean rainfall. There was a strong correlation between rainfall and adult sightings (r=0.732), however tadpoles sightings had a low correlation (r=0.178). We observed moderate positive correlations of temperature and relative humidity with adult (r=0.536; r=0.442) and juvenile (r=0.398; r=0.252) individuals, while tadpoles had low positive correlation for relative humidity (r =0.048) respectively. Brief note of amplexus position of A. himalayanus is discussed.
Keywords: Amolops himalayanus, Bhutan, rainfall, relative humidity, temperature, tadpoles, juveniles.