Many species of frogs live in bromeliads. Bromeliads are plants that often live on trees as epiphytes. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants but are not parasitic. Bromeliads are common across the tropics and subtropics of the western hemisphere. The diversity of bromeliads is also considerable - these plants have an upward facing rosette of leaves that collect rainwater and form private pools at the axil of each leaf within the core of the plant. These are known as plant held waters (phytotelmata) and are a key and critical resource above the forest floor. Standing water is not common in a forest canopy outside of phytotelmata. Its always worth checking these resources when you get a chance. An entire microcommunity exists within bromeliad axils. Checking through bromeliads along the Amazon River, we have found a host of frogs in the genus Osteocephalus (a group of treefrogs). Several species dont just live there, they breed there. Eggs are deposited in the bromeliad pools | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Fenolio, Dante |
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