Reproductive Modes in Frogs and Their Unexpected Diversity in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Abstract Amphibians, and especially the anurans (frogs and toads), exhibit a greater diversity of reproductive modes than other tetrapod vertebrates. Twenty-nine reproductive modes have been recognized for the anurans; we propose 10 more, elevating by more than 34% the number of reproductive modes known for anurans worldwide. These newly recognized reproductive modes for the frogs elevate by almost 48% the number of anuran reproductive modes known for the Neotropics. The highly complex topography of the Atlantic forest, breaking up the biome into many small micro-habitats, and the high humidity, which reduces desiccation risks, have enabled the evolution of reproductive specializations such as eggs or tadpoles…

• FD
  Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
• CN
  Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico