NATURAL HISTORY OF Dendropsophus tapacurensis (Hylidae) IN RAINFOREST ENCLAVES OF NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Understanding aspects related to the natural history of species is crucial for plans aimed at their preservation and conservation. In this manuscript, we present data on the diet composition, microhabitat use, geographic distribution, and vocalization of Dendropsophus tapacurensis, a recently described tree frog endemic to the Atlantic Forest and some rainforest enclaves in Northeastern Brazil. This study was carried out in two mountains in the state of Ceará, northeast of Brazil. We collected 49 individuals (43 males and six females) of D. tapacurensis, of whom 27 had food items in their stomachs. Although mosquitoes and beetles were the most abundant prey categories, this species appears to have a generalist diet. Like most species of the D. decipiens group, this tree frog is associated with lentic water ponds and generally forages on submerged herbaceous plants. The acoustic parameters recorded at the announcement song agree with the original description of the species, except for the variation in the duration of the last pulse. Future studies are required to evaluate possible inter-population variations in the announcement song of D. tapacurensis. This study contributes to understanding the natural history of mountain tree frogs in the Caatinga biome.