Provision of egg-laying sites for captive breeding of the endangered Fijian ground frog Platymantis vitianus, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
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Published source details
Narayan E., Christi K. & Morley C. (2007) Provision of egg-laying sites for captive breeding of the endangered Fijian ground frog Platymantis vitianus, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. Conservation Evidence, 4, 61-65.
Published source details Narayan E., Christi K. & Morley C. (2007) Provision of egg-laying sites for captive breeding of the endangered Fijian ground frog Platymantis vitianus, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. Conservation Evidence, 4, 61-65.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Amphibians: Provide particular enclosure furniture for calling sites, breeding areas or egg laying sites Action Link |
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Amphibians: Provide natural substrate for species which do not breed in water (e.g. burrowing/tunnel breeders) Action Link |
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Captive breeding frogs Action Link |
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Amphibians: Provide particular enclosure furniture for calling sites, breeding areas or egg laying sites
A small, replicated, before-and-after study in 2004-2007 in Fiji found that the provision of egg laying sites including rotting logs and hollow bamboo stems Piper aduncum and various organic substrate in an enclosure resulted in successful breeding for two pairs of Fijian ground frogs Platymantis vitianus. Two egg clutches were found, one in a section of bamboo stem filled with damp soil substrate, and another under a moist rotting log on a mix of soil and leaf litter. A total of 39 froglets were raised after one year. A captive breeding program had been running for this species since 2004, but only one froglet was reared after three years of trying. From 2006-2007, five male and five female frogs were placed in a purpose built outdoor enclosure. Further detials in: Narayan E, Christi K. & Morley C. (2009) Captive propagation of the endangered nativeFijian frog Platymantis vitiana: Implications for ex-situ conservation and management. Pacific Conservation Biology, 15, 47–55.
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Amphibians: Provide natural substrate for species which do not breed in water (e.g. burrowing/tunnel breeders)
A small, replicated, before-and-after study in 2004-2007 in Fiji found that the provision of egg laying sites including various organic substrates, rotting logs and hollow bamboo stems Piper aduncum in an enclosure resulted in successful breeding for two pairs of Fijian ground frogs Platymantis vitianus. A total of 39 froglets were raised after one year. Two egg clutches were found, one in a section of bamboo stem filled with damp soil substrate, and another under a moist rotting log on a mix of soil and leaf litter. A captive breeding program had been running for this species since 2004, but only one froglet was reared after three years of trying. From 2006-2007, five male and five female frogs were placed in a purpose built outdoor enclosure. Further detials: Narayan E, Christi K. & Morley C. (2009) Captive propagation of the endangered native Fiji-an frog Platymantis vitiana: Implications for ex-situ conservation and management. Pacific Conservation Biology, 15, 47–55.
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Captive breeding frogs
In a continuation of a study at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji (Narayan et al. 2007, Narayan 2009), a small, replicated study (Narayan et al. 2007) found that adding natural structures to enclosures as potential egg laying sites resulted in the production of two clutches of eggs by Fijian ground frogs Platymantis vitianus. One clutch was laid underneath a moist rotting log in December and the other inside a bamboo stem lined with soil in January. Several of the five males and five females were observed in or near potential egg-laying sites throughout the breeding period. Natural structures were added as potential egg laying sites including rotting logs, hollow bamboo stems, coconut husks, rocks and decaying leaf litter. All material was sterilized prior to installation. Native plants were also added. Nocturnal activity was recorded using digital video surveillance cameras.
