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15 May 2020 Mom's Taxi – Maternal Care in Shovel-Nosed Frogs Hemisus marmoratus and Hemisus guttatus
K Kyle, LH du Preez
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Abstract

This communication details the maternal care of Hemisus marmoratus and Hemisus guttatus. A Hemisus mother stays with the eggs, protecting them during their time in the nest chamber, and ensures their ultimate arrival in a body of water, at varying stages of development, via a variety of different techniques, ranging from nest placement and slide construction to tadpole transportation. We confirm that a sticky glue-like substance is used during inguinal amplexus of H. guttatus, with only the hands of the male being glued to the female. Field observations indicate that H. marmoratus females carry their offspring to the water, gluing her hind legs together to increase the surface area for the tadpoles to adhere to during the journey.

Copyright © Zoological Society of Southern Africa
K Kyle and LH du Preez "Mom's Taxi – Maternal Care in Shovel-Nosed Frogs Hemisus marmoratus and Hemisus guttatus," African Zoology 55(1), 1-5, (15 May 2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2019.1677497
Received: 22 August 2019; Accepted: 3 October 2019; Published: 15 May 2020
KEYWORDS
amplexus
eggs
glue-like substance
nest placement
Parental care
reproduction
tadpoles
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