The Herpetological Journal

pp.9-13

Authors: Tamotsu Kusano, Kazuko Maruyama And Shigenori Kanenko

Abstract: A breeding population of Japanese toads, Bufo japonicus formosus was studied at two ponds in Yamakita-machi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, during the three breeding seasons of 1992-1994. The movement of toads between the ponds was monitored by mark-recapture studies. Although the two ponds were only 30 m apart, most toads did not switch ponds within or between years. A binomial test and bootstrap simulation rejected the null hypothesis that individual toads selected their breeding ponds randomly from year to year. Mating success and other ecological and behavioural characteristics were compared between male toads that exhibited site fidelity and those that switched ponds during the study period, but we could not detect any significant differences between them. This study demonstrated strong site fidelity in B.j.formosus, but failed to show quantitative advantages or disadvantages of returning annually to the same pond.

Keywords: Bufo japonicus formosus, site fidelity, movement between ponds, mating success