Exploring the lush surroundings of Guyana’s Kaieteur Falls, a magnificent 741-foot waterfall shrouded in perpetual mist, we discovered a peculiar sight – giant tank bromeliads scattered along the forest glades. These impressive plants grow up to 10 feet tall, adorned with leafy green blades and sporting older, desiccated leaves that resemble a hula skirt. Among these clusters of bromeliads, piercing peeps resound – deedeedee, deedeedee, deedeedee – almost as if the plants are exchanging calls.
However, the source of these audible exchanges doesn’t belong to the bromeliads themselves but the golden rocket frogs that inhabit them. These tiny frog species, about the size of a plump blueberry, defend their territories within the bromeliads with fervor. Males, with their stately taupe coloring, fiercely guard the plants as a sanctuary for their offspring.
The bromeliads are not just shelters for the male frogs and their mates but serve as nurseries for the frog’s eggs. An extraordinary sight to behold, as male frogs carry newly hatched tadpoles on their backs and transport them to individual pools within the bromeliads, where the tadpoles continue to develop. The dedication and protective measures these poison frogs exhibit is a rarity among amphibians, as observed in a new paper published in the journal Evolutionary Ecology.
Not every bromeliad serves as an equal habitat for the golden rocket frogs. Scientists James Tumulty and Chloe Fouilloux studied the frogs extensively near Kaieteur Falls. Mysteriously, not all bromeliads were filled with frogs, leading them to question what criteria the male frogs use to determine the best habitat. Physically traversing the dense growth of the bromeliads, it was clear that the males were selective in choosing their territories.
Fouilloux, initially a researcher in limnology, found herself captivated by the phytotelmata, comparing their structure and composition to mini lakes. Their meticulous study involved measuring the quality of each nursery pool, analyzing water volume with a turkey baster, and exploring the composition and conditions within the pools. This dedicated research uncovered remarkable insights into the male frogs’ unwavering dedication to protect the best possible pools for their offspring.
Following their summer-long field study, Fouilloux continued analyzing their findings, further observing the strategic placement of tadpoles within the bromeliad’s pools, indicating that the male frogs are mindful of pool quality and location. Moreover, these findings unveiled the exceptional parenting habits of golden rocket frogs.
Tumulty recounted an awe-inspiring moment he experienced during their research – encountering a giant tadpole, a testament to the golden rocket fathers’ commitment to protecting and relocating their offspring. This remarkable discovery further emphasizes the unparalleled dedication and care golden rocket frogs exhibit toward their young ones.
