Do Whatever a Toad Does: A Report on Height-seeking Behaviour in $Bufo$ $bufo$ (Linnaeus, 1758) from Türkiye
Yıl 2025,
Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1, 319 - 324, 29.06.2025
Cantekin Dursun
,
Nurhayat Özdemir
Öz
The family Bufonidae including terrestrial toads is generally characterized by short hind limbs compared to their larger body size. Even though toads are characterized as walker-hoppers in terms of locomotion, they may exhibit climbing behaviour to avoid predators and to use shelters for inhabiting. In this report, the most recent record regarding the climbing behaviour of $B.$ $bufo$ was presented from Türkiye. The observation was made in Yazılı Canyon Natural Park, located in Sütçüler, Isparta. A single female specimen demonstrated climbing behaviour to a tree trunk to reach a humid shelter.
Etik Beyan
The study does not require ethics committee approval or any special permission.
Teşekkür
Special thanks to Aylin Apaydın and Gökhan Apaydın who photographed and provided the material for this study.
Kaynakça
- Enriquez-Urzelai, U., Montori, A., Llorente, G. A., & Kaliontzopoulou, A. (2015). Locomotor mode and the evolution of the hindlimb in western Mediterranean anurans. Evolutionary Biology, 42, 199-209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-015-9311-1
- Alonso, R., & Rodríguez, A. (2003). Advertisement calls of Cuban toads of the genus Bufo (Anura, Bufonidae). Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology, 2(2), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v2i2p75-82
- Santos-Souza, C. J., Pedroso-Santos, F., Rebelo-Silva, K., Lima-Martins, M. J., & Costa-Campos, C. E. (2023). Feeding ecology of Amazophrynella teko (Anura: Bufonidae) in the eastern Brazilian Amazonia. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 19(2), 161-166.
- De Campos, C. E. C., & Pedroso-Santos, F. (2022). Antipredator behaviour employed by Rhinella castaneotica (Bufonidae) during climbing behaviour. Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 5(3), 09-11. https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2022.3.482
- Recuero, E., Canestrelli, D., Vörös, J., Szabó, K., Poyarkov, N. A., Arntzen, J. W., Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J., Kidov, A. A., Cogalniceanu, D., Caputo, F. P., Nascetti, G., & Martínez-Solano, I. (2012). Multilocus species tree analyses resolve the radiation of the widespread Bufo bufo species group (Anura, Bufonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(1), 71-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.008
- Özdemir, N., Dursun, C., Üzüm, N., Kutrup, B., & Gül, S. (2020). Taxonomic assessment and distribution of common toads (Bufo bufo and B. verrucosissimus) in Turkey based on morphological and molecular data. Amphibia-Reptilia, 41(3), 399-411. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10009
- Bringsøe, H. (2016). Two cases of height-seeking behaviour in the Common Toad, Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758), in Denmark. Mertensiella, 24, 146-149.
- Kaczmarski, M., & Kubicka, A. M. (2022, September 4-9). Case of arboreal behaviour of common toads Bufo bufo in Poznań, Poland [Conference presentation]. The 21st European Congress of Herpetology, Belgrad, Serbia. https://seh-congress-belgrade2022.shdmr.org/
- Vassallo, A. I., Manzano, A., Abdala, V., & Muzio, R. N. (2021). Can anyone climb? The skills of a non-specialized toad and its bearing on the evolution of new niches. Evolutionary Biology, 48(3), 293-311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-021-09539-9
- Hudson, C. M., Brown, G. P., & Shine, R. (2016). Athletic anurans: the impact of morphology, ecology and evolution on climbing ability in invasive cane toads. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 119(4), 992-999. https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12827
- Jolley, D. B., Ditchkoff, S. S., Sparklin, B. D., Hanson, L. B., Mitchell, M. S., & Grand, J. B. (2010). Estimate of herpetofauna depredation by a population of wild pigs. Journal of Mammalogy, 91(2), 519-524. https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-129.1
- Smith, M. (1951). The British Amphibians and Reptiles. Collins, London, 318 pp.
- Gosá, A. (2003). Bufo bufo (common toad), Alytes obstetricans (midwife toad), and Rana temporaria (common frog). Tree climbing. Herpetological Review, 34(4), 355.
- Chang, Y. H., Wu, B. Y., & Lu, H. L. (2016). Using the climbing ability of Bufo bankorensis and Hynobius arisanensis to discuss the amphibious corridor design for high altitude areas. Ecological Engineering, 95, 551-556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.06.092
- De Noronha, J. C., Barros, A. B., Da Paixao, E. C., Almeida, E. J., Miranda, R. M., & Rodrigues, D. J. (2013). Climbing behaviour of terrestrial bufonids in the genus Rhinella. Herpetological Bulletin, 124, 22-23.
- Kaczmarski, M., & Kubicka, A. M. (2024). Trunk climbing among ground-dwelling European amphibians–first observation from Poland. Dendrobiology, 92, 68-73. https://doi.org/10.12657/denbio.092.005
- Petrovan, S. O., Al-Fulaij, N., Christie, A., & Andrews, H. (2022). Why link diverse citizen science surveys? Widespread arboreal habits of a terrestrial amphibian revealed by mammalian tree surveys in Britain. Plos one, 17(7), e0265156. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265156
Kurbağanın Yaptığı Herşeyi Yap: Türkiye'deki $Bufo$ $bufo$ (Linnaeus, 1758) Türünün Yükseklik Arama Davranışı Raporu
Yıl 2025,
Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1, 319 - 324, 29.06.2025
Cantekin Dursun
,
Nurhayat Özdemir
Öz
Kara kurbağalarını içeren Bufonidae familyası, büyük vücut boyutuna kıyasla genellikle kısa arka bacaklarla karakterize edilir. Hareket mekanizması bakımından yürüyen-zıplayan olarak nitelendirilmelerine rağmen kurbağalar, yırtıcılardan kaçınmak ve barınakları kullanmak amacıyla tırmanma davranışı gösterebilirler. Bu raporda, $B.$ $bufo$ türünün tırmanma davranışına ilişkin en güncel kayıt Türkiye'den sunulmuştur. Gözlem, Isparta, Sütçüler, Yazılı Kanyon Tabiat Parkı'nda yapılmıştır. Tek bir dişi örnek, ağaç gövdesindeki nemli bir barınağa ulaşmak için tırmanma davranışı göstermiştir.
Kaynakça
- Enriquez-Urzelai, U., Montori, A., Llorente, G. A., & Kaliontzopoulou, A. (2015). Locomotor mode and the evolution of the hindlimb in western Mediterranean anurans. Evolutionary Biology, 42, 199-209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-015-9311-1
- Alonso, R., & Rodríguez, A. (2003). Advertisement calls of Cuban toads of the genus Bufo (Anura, Bufonidae). Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology, 2(2), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v2i2p75-82
- Santos-Souza, C. J., Pedroso-Santos, F., Rebelo-Silva, K., Lima-Martins, M. J., & Costa-Campos, C. E. (2023). Feeding ecology of Amazophrynella teko (Anura: Bufonidae) in the eastern Brazilian Amazonia. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 19(2), 161-166.
- De Campos, C. E. C., & Pedroso-Santos, F. (2022). Antipredator behaviour employed by Rhinella castaneotica (Bufonidae) during climbing behaviour. Revista Latinoamericana de Herpetología, 5(3), 09-11. https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2022.3.482
- Recuero, E., Canestrelli, D., Vörös, J., Szabó, K., Poyarkov, N. A., Arntzen, J. W., Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J., Kidov, A. A., Cogalniceanu, D., Caputo, F. P., Nascetti, G., & Martínez-Solano, I. (2012). Multilocus species tree analyses resolve the radiation of the widespread Bufo bufo species group (Anura, Bufonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62(1), 71-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.008
- Özdemir, N., Dursun, C., Üzüm, N., Kutrup, B., & Gül, S. (2020). Taxonomic assessment and distribution of common toads (Bufo bufo and B. verrucosissimus) in Turkey based on morphological and molecular data. Amphibia-Reptilia, 41(3), 399-411. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10009
- Bringsøe, H. (2016). Two cases of height-seeking behaviour in the Common Toad, Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758), in Denmark. Mertensiella, 24, 146-149.
- Kaczmarski, M., & Kubicka, A. M. (2022, September 4-9). Case of arboreal behaviour of common toads Bufo bufo in Poznań, Poland [Conference presentation]. The 21st European Congress of Herpetology, Belgrad, Serbia. https://seh-congress-belgrade2022.shdmr.org/
- Vassallo, A. I., Manzano, A., Abdala, V., & Muzio, R. N. (2021). Can anyone climb? The skills of a non-specialized toad and its bearing on the evolution of new niches. Evolutionary Biology, 48(3), 293-311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11692-021-09539-9
- Hudson, C. M., Brown, G. P., & Shine, R. (2016). Athletic anurans: the impact of morphology, ecology and evolution on climbing ability in invasive cane toads. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 119(4), 992-999. https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12827
- Jolley, D. B., Ditchkoff, S. S., Sparklin, B. D., Hanson, L. B., Mitchell, M. S., & Grand, J. B. (2010). Estimate of herpetofauna depredation by a population of wild pigs. Journal of Mammalogy, 91(2), 519-524. https://doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-129.1
- Smith, M. (1951). The British Amphibians and Reptiles. Collins, London, 318 pp.
- Gosá, A. (2003). Bufo bufo (common toad), Alytes obstetricans (midwife toad), and Rana temporaria (common frog). Tree climbing. Herpetological Review, 34(4), 355.
- Chang, Y. H., Wu, B. Y., & Lu, H. L. (2016). Using the climbing ability of Bufo bankorensis and Hynobius arisanensis to discuss the amphibious corridor design for high altitude areas. Ecological Engineering, 95, 551-556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.06.092
- De Noronha, J. C., Barros, A. B., Da Paixao, E. C., Almeida, E. J., Miranda, R. M., & Rodrigues, D. J. (2013). Climbing behaviour of terrestrial bufonids in the genus Rhinella. Herpetological Bulletin, 124, 22-23.
- Kaczmarski, M., & Kubicka, A. M. (2024). Trunk climbing among ground-dwelling European amphibians–first observation from Poland. Dendrobiology, 92, 68-73. https://doi.org/10.12657/denbio.092.005
- Petrovan, S. O., Al-Fulaij, N., Christie, A., & Andrews, H. (2022). Why link diverse citizen science surveys? Widespread arboreal habits of a terrestrial amphibian revealed by mammalian tree surveys in Britain. Plos one, 17(7), e0265156. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265156