Reproductive features of three maternal-caring species of <i>Leptodactylus</i> (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with a report on alloparental care in frogs

We describe aspects of the reproduction of three shoaling/maternal-caring <i>Leptodactylus</i> species (<i>Leptodactylus</i> aff. <i>latrans</i>, <i>Leptodactylus podicipinus</i> and <i>Leptodactylus</i> aff. <i>leptodactyloides</i>), pointing to the relevance of the female to tadpoles and describe a case of alloparental care in frogs. Females of the three species connected water bodies by digging channels to their tadpoles. <i>Leptodactylus</i> aff. <i>latrans</i> females often expelled predatory snakes and conspecific males that approached shoals to prey upon tadpoles. In water bodies containing predatory teleosts, tadpoles of <i>L.</i> aff. <i>latrans</i> only reached metamorphosis in the presence of guardian females. Channel digging can provide tadpoles with access to new feeding grounds and prevent predation and desiccation. We found brood mixing and alloparental care between <i>L.</i> aff. <i>latrans</i> and <i>L. podicipinus</i> which, as in some Teleostei, may be regarded as the result of identification mistakes.