Study

Improvement in ex-situ egg hatchability of Fijian ground frog Platymantis vitianus by laboratory incubation of egg masses, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

  • Published source details Narayan E., Christi K. & Morley C. (2007) Improvement in ex-situ egg hatchability of Fijian ground frog Platymantis vitianus by laboratory incubation of egg masses, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. Conservation Evidence, 4, 25-27.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Amphibians: Provide multiple egg laying sites within an enclosure

Action Link
Management of Captive Animals

Captive breeding frogs

Action Link
Amphibian Conservation
  1. Amphibians: Provide multiple egg laying sites within an enclosure

    A small, replicated, before-and-after study in 2004-2007 in Fiji found that the provision of egg laying sites including rotting logs and hollow bamboo stems Piper aduncum and various organic substrate in an enclosure resulted in successful breeding for two pairs of Fijian ground frogs Platymantis vitianus. A total of 39 froglets were raised after one year. Two egg clutches were found, one in a section of bamboo stem filled with damp soil substrate, and another under a moist rotting log on a mix of soil and leaf litter. A captive breeding program had been running for this species since 2004, but only one froglet was reared after three years of trying. From 2006-2007, five male and five female frogs were placed in a purpose built outdoor enclosure. Further detials in: Narayan E., Christi K. & Morley C. (2009) Captive propagation of the endangered native Fiji-an frog Platymantis vitiana: Implications for ex-situ conservation and management. Pacific Conservation Biology, 15, 47-55.

  2. Captive breeding frogs

    A small, replicated study in 2006–2007 of Fijian ground frogs Platymantis vitianus at the University of the South Pacific, Fiji (Narayan et al. 2007, Narayan et al. 2009) found that following incubation, 35 froglets hatched from one egg mass (88%; see also Narayan, Christi & Morley 2007). Two egg masses (40–42 eggs/mass) were laid by captive frogs in the wet season (December/January) of the first year. Only 11% of eggs from one mass hatched due to flooding and so the second was incubated inside a glass aquarium at 27°C. Thirty-five froglets hatched from the second batch. Five adult male and five female frogs collected from the wild were kept in outdoor wire enclosures (5 x 3 x 2 m). Newly hatched froglets were transferred to laboratory glass aquariums (0.5 x 0.3 x 0.4 m).

     

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