Nothing kills the mood faster than being walked in on. But you know what's worse? When the interrupter is about to eat you. A newly discovered species of torrent frog (Hylodes japi) has found the perfect place to get it on away from the "preying" eyes of hungry birds: underwater sex dungeons. Yes, this is "50 Shades of Grey" frog.
The frog is named after the Serra do Japi Mountain Range in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, where it spends its days near quick-moving streams. When the time to mate rolls around, it takes a male japi less than five minutes to pick the right spot to "sexcavate" its love nest.
"The male chooses an area on the bottom (in the vicinity of his calling site) and constructs the underwater chamber by excavating the sand around small, submerged rocks," explains lead researcher Dr Fábio P. de Sá. To keep unwanted visitors out of the chamber, the tunnel is barely large enough to fit both frogs. "Based on our observations, the male enters first immediately followed by the female. If she isn't impressed, she may leave the chamber."
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After a bit of frog foreplay in the form of mutual touching with arms, legs and the surfaces of their bodies, the deed is done and eggs are laid. "We observed one complete courtship event, which lasted a total of 37 minutes underwater," says de Sá. "The frogs intermittently swam to the surface to breathe at all points of courtship, with the exception of the time inside the chamber." Both frogs work together to help close the entrance to the chamber, concealing their dirty little secret and its precious cargo from the world.
Depositing eggs in these sand-lined tunnels not only offers protection from birds and other predators, but may also increase the babies' chances of survival once they emerge. "We [think] the young remain in the chamber through the early stages of development," says de Sá. "Which could increase protection of offspring against the strong water flow and predation."
Underwater love nests aren't unique to the japi frog – in fact, most frogs in the genus make them – but until now, everything we knew about the reproductive strategy was based on records from captivity. "Serra do Japi supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna," says de Sá. "Although considered a protected area in Brazil, the forest is currently under strong pressure from human development because of its proximity to large urban centres along its borders."
For now, the new frog is doing well, but de Sá explains it's crucial that we continue to explore and understand this complex ecosystem if we want to keep it that way.
Backyard wildlife
New Species
Animal Behaviour
