Necrophiliac behaviour in the recently described species Scinax tsachila (Anura: Hylidae), with a review of necrophilia in amphibians

Authors

Pol Pintanel, Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
Gabriela Obando-Moreno, Laboratorio de Ecofisiología and Museo de Zoología (QCAZ), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
Andrés Merino-Viteri, Laboratorio de Ecofisiología and Museo de Zoología (QCAZ), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

Necrophilia in amphibians is a poorly known behaviour despite its potential as a beneficial adaptation for improving reproductive success. Here, we describe the observation of a multiple amplexus involving necrophilia in the recently described Tsachila snouted treefrog, Scinax tsachila (Anura: Hylidae). We further provide an extensive review of published necrophilia in amphibians. At least 33 species of amphibians, mostly anurans, have shown a necrophiliac behaviour, with only one case of necrophilia in a caudate. Necrophilia has long been considered a maladaptive behaviour, since reproduction is usually not viable and is also associated with increased risk of death. However, necrophiliac behaviour has recently been proposed as an adaptive behaviour for some species because it may result in viable offspring.

DOI

10.1080/23766808.2021.1879549

Recommended Citation

Pintanel, Pol; Obando-Moreno, Gabriela; and Merino-Viteri, Andrés (2021) "Necrophiliac behaviour in the recently described species Scinax tsachila (Anura: Hylidae), with a review of necrophilia in amphibians," Neotropical biodiversity: Vol. 7: Iss. 1, Article 7.
DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.1879549
Available at: https://ikiam.researchcommons.org/neotropical-diversity/vol7/iss1/7