Pleurodema tucumanum: Predation

Abstract

Herein we report predation of a juvenile Pleurodema tucumanum by the water bug Belostoma discretum. This observation took place during the night of 9 April 2009 in the vicinity of the Rio Claro (32.613°S, 66.139°W), near San Francisco, Ayacucho, San Luis 5570, Argentina, in a large pool enclosed by rocks at the river’s edge. A juvenile P. tucumanum (19.6 mm SVL) was observed floating on the surface of the pool (no deeper than 0.2 m), with a B. discretum (24.8 mm long) attached to its abdomen. The water bug was holding the frog with its forelegs while piercing the frog’s left hindlimb with its proboscis. At regular intervals the water bug swam with apparent difficulty carrying the frog to the bottom of the pool, where it rested for an instant before emerging for air and repeating these actions.