Reproduction and population traits of the Atlantic forest tree frog Bokermannohyla hylax: an exploratory study in an urban forest fragment in São Paulo municipality, Brazil

Abstract

Bokermannohyla hylax is an endemic tree frog from the Atlantic Forest and despite being a common species, very little is known about its population traits and reproduction. We undertook acoustic and visual encounter surveys, and individual marking studies of a subpopulation in an urban forest fragment, the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga, located in the São Paulo municipality. We detected a small population that breeds in only one forest stream, and deposits eggs inside burrows along the stream’s clayey border. Our findings also suggest that this subpopulation might be vulnerable due to the specific characteristics of its reproduction, which may be affected by the degree of disturbance of this fragment.