Work

Defensive behavior of contracting in Rhaebo guttatus (Schneider, 1799) (Anura: Bufonidae)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Anurans possess various defense mechanisms, including contracting, which aims to prevent injury during subjugation and hinder predation. Herein, we describe the defensive behavior of contracting in Rhaebo guttatus recorded in the Chapada das Mesas National Park, Maranhão, Brazil. On April 19, 2023, a juvenile male R. guttatus exhibited contracting behavior for approximately 27 minutes while being handled, before returning to normal activity. This is the first record of contracting behavior for R. guttatus. Contracting is distinct from thanatosis and may be an evolutionary strategy that complements other known defenses of the species, such as toxin secretion and defensive postures. Documenting this behavior is relevant for understanding antipredatory strategies in anurans.

Source: Somma Revista Cientifica do Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Piauí

DOI: 10.51361/somma.v11i1.418

Authors: Lucas Rafael Uchôa, Yhasmynn Pensee Pinheiro Campos, Ruan Luis Farias Do Vale, Caio Vinícius Mira-Mendes, Mirco Solé

Institutions: Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão

Language: English

Topic: Amphibian and Reptile Biology

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade

Award: G2319334795