Diet and fecundity of Physalaemus crombiei (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from a sandy coastal plain of southeastern Brazil.

Many ecological aspects of Physalaemus crombiei remain unstudied. Thus, the present study describes the diet and fecundity in a population of P. crombiei from southeastern Brazil. We analyzed the diet of 38 individuals of P. crombiei (25 males and 13 females). Sex ratio at reproductive habitat was slightly biased toward males. Females had greater size and mass compared to males. The diet of P. crombiei consisted only of small arthropods. Collembola dominated the stomach content in terms of frequency, number, and mass. Number of oocytes varied from 80 to 253 and showed positive relationship to size and mass of females. Our findings suggest P. crombiei reproduce throughout the year and have generalist diet. Apparently, this population is not threatened by local extinction, because these frogs feed upon any available prey that can be ingested, which can be linked to high fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]