Reproductive features of Chaltenobatrachus grandisonae (Anura: Batrachylidae) within a protected area in Patagonia, Chile

Abstract

Basso et al. (2011) assigned the monotypic genus Chaltenobatrachus for the species described originally as Telmatobius grandisonae Lynch, 1975 (later transferred to the genus Atelognathus by Lynch 1978). The type locality of Chaltenobatrachus grandisonae (L ynch, 1975) is Puer to Eden (Wellington Island) in the Magallanes Region, Chile, where the species has not been found again. Basso et al. (2011) added two new localities from Argentina and provided a detailed description that includes morphological and osteological characteristics of adult specimens, external morphology of tadpoles, kar yotype and phylogenetic relationships. They also provide a few fi eld observations, highlighting the lack of knowledge of the natural history and population biology of this anuran. In this work we repor t a new locality for C. grandisonae in Chile, extend its altitudinal distributional range and report on its reproductive mode. The study site is within the protected area Laguna Caiquenes (LCPA), located in the Aysen Region, which holds 9.000 ha of evergreen forests of Nothofagus betuloides and regrowth of Drimys winteri with bogs of Poaceae and Cyperaceae . In this locality, C. grandisonae cohabits with other fi ve anuran species: Alsodes coppingeri (Gunther, 1881); Batrachyla antar tandica Barrio, 1967; Batrachyla taeniata (Girard, 1855); Eupsophus calcaratus (Gunther, 1881) and Nannophryne variegata Gunther, 1870. Data on the reproductive activity of these species are also reported here. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL