56
A. R. MAIN
fecundity and short larval life can be visualised as advantageous (Main
et al., 1959). Nevertheless small eggs are usual in highly fecund species
and when clssociated with short larval life reault in small size at metamorphotjis - 13-14 mm for Notaden nichdlei (Slater and Main, 1963),
which has the attendant danger of death from desiccation. Clearly as
many characters as possible should be taken into account when aamssing “adeptedness” to arid conditions. The “adaptedness” of the species
whose biology is known was scored for the 14 species listed in Table V
where the method of scoring and deriving ranks is explained.
The first ranking in Table V is presumably best adapted and lowest
ranking leaat adapted. In general the final rankings in Table V show
good agreement with field distribution. Of the five high ranking species
shown in Table V one, H. cueruka, is not a desert form, and of the
strictly desert species only N . sutor has a ranking lower than would
have been expected. This result can be explained because of its small
size and low fecundity.
F. FOOD
A great variety of food items has been found in the guts of local frogs
(Main, 1957; Main and Calaby, 1957; Calaby, 1956, 1960; Main, unpublished; Lee, 1965, 1967). The only species which appears to have
specific food preferences is the cryptozoic subterranean termitophile
Myobatrachus gouldii. Calaby (1956) describes the feeding of this frog
from the termite galleries which it had come upon while burrowing.
The very few ants ingested (4 small ants along with 937 termites) appear
to be accidentally eaten so that it “lives practically entirely on termite
species” (Calaby, 1956: 95). These findings are supported by the
observat>ions of Philipp (1958).
Termites (workers, soldiere and dates) have been found in the gut of
Neobatrachw, centralia, Cyclorana cdtripes, Limnodynarrtea spencel-i,
U h w r t i a w a e l l i , and Notaden nicholbi. However, in such cases all
castes have been found and this observation, together with the presence
of workers and winged reproductives of an&, suggests that these frogs
were feeding on the surface at times of rainfall when colonising flights
of ants and termites were available as food. Nevertheless termite alahs
outweigh other food items in both bulk and numbers of individuals
(Main and Calaby, 1957), suggesting that the common food items are
the most abundant insects present when the frogs were feeding.
Calaby (1960) examined the stomach contents of Notaden bennetti
Gunther and Notaden nich&i and concluded that although the main
food items were termites and ants Ndaden species were not specialized
feeders.
Ants, but not termites, have been found in the guts of C r i n h species.
A. R. MAIN
fecundity and short larval life can be visualised as advantageous (Main
et al., 1959). Nevertheless small eggs are usual in highly fecund species
and when clssociated with short larval life reault in small size at metamorphotjis - 13-14 mm for Notaden nichdlei (Slater and Main, 1963),
which has the attendant danger of death from desiccation. Clearly as
many characters as possible should be taken into account when aamssing “adeptedness” to arid conditions. The “adaptedness” of the species
whose biology is known was scored for the 14 species listed in Table V
where the method of scoring and deriving ranks is explained.
The first ranking in Table V is presumably best adapted and lowest
ranking leaat adapted. In general the final rankings in Table V show
good agreement with field distribution. Of the five high ranking species
shown in Table V one, H. cueruka, is not a desert form, and of the
strictly desert species only N . sutor has a ranking lower than would
have been expected. This result can be explained because of its small
size and low fecundity.
F. FOOD
A great variety of food items has been found in the guts of local frogs
(Main, 1957; Main and Calaby, 1957; Calaby, 1956, 1960; Main, unpublished; Lee, 1965, 1967). The only species which appears to have
specific food preferences is the cryptozoic subterranean termitophile
Myobatrachus gouldii. Calaby (1956) describes the feeding of this frog
from the termite galleries which it had come upon while burrowing.
The very few ants ingested (4 small ants along with 937 termites) appear
to be accidentally eaten so that it “lives practically entirely on termite
species” (Calaby, 1956: 95). These findings are supported by the
observat>ions of Philipp (1958).
Termites (workers, soldiere and dates) have been found in the gut of
Neobatrachw, centralia, Cyclorana cdtripes, Limnodynarrtea spencel-i,
U h w r t i a w a e l l i , and Notaden nicholbi. However, in such cases all
castes have been found and this observation, together with the presence
of workers and winged reproductives of an&, suggests that these frogs
were feeding on the surface at times of rainfall when colonising flights
of ants and termites were available as food. Nevertheless termite alahs
outweigh other food items in both bulk and numbers of individuals
(Main and Calaby, 1957), suggesting that the common food items are
the most abundant insects present when the frogs were feeding.
Calaby (1960) examined the stomach contents of Notaden bennetti
Gunther and Notaden nich&i and concluded that although the main
food items were termites and ants Ndaden species were not specialized
feeders.
Ants, but not termites, have been found in the guts of C r i n h species.