Calay News
A team of Brazilian scientists has discovered that Izecksohn’s Brazilian tree frog, also known as Xenohyla truncata, may be the world’s first known pollinating amphibian, according to an article published in the journal Food Webs. Most frogs feed on insects and moths, but during a December 2020 observation near the Brazilian city of Armação dos Búzios, researchers observed a group of this species feeding on the nectar of a milk fruit tree (“Cordia taguahyensis”).
After licking the nectar from the flowers, the researchers observed that one of the amphibians was covered in pollen, suggesting that these frogs may inadvertently contribute to the pollination of the plant. Frogs can carry pollen from flower to flower, helping the reproduction of the fruit tree. While a few species of frogs have been photographed on flowers, never before has a species been seen interacting with a flower.
Although scientists still need to do more research to determine if these frogs are pollinators, Brazilian biologist Carlos Henrique de-Oliveira-Nogueira noted that “X. truncata” is an opportunistic species that feeds on both insects and plants, and apparently anything that is available for consumption.
In addition, de-Oliveira-Nogueira pointed out that “X. truncata” is a threatened species and, like many other frogs living near human settlements in Brazil, is at risk of being hunted by predatory cats or killed by homeowners who consider it a pest. Therefore, if this species disappears, a unique ecological interaction between plants and amphibians will be lost.
