POPULATION ECOLOGY OF THE AUSTRALIAN FROG CRINIA-SIGNIFERA - EGG-LAYING PATTERNS AND EGG MORTALITY

There are few studies of embryo mortality in anurans, and most of thes e studies deal with anurans that deposit clutches as one egg mass. In this study, egg mortality in Crinia signifera, an anuran that distribu tes its clutches in small clusters of eggs, was examined with the aims of: (i) determining overall mortality levels, and (ii) determining wh ether there was significant variation in success between clutches laid by different females. Hatching success varied significantly between y ears and between habitats, and was as low as 2% in some habitats in so me years. Fungal infection caused most mortality, and hatching success was higher in temporary pools than in a permanent water body. Althoug h significant variation in clutch success between females could occur if clutches were laid in different habitats or at different times, it was not clear whether there would be significant variation in clutch s uccess between females laying simultaneously in the same water body. D ifferences in success of clutches might occur if females distributed e ggs at different depths or in different-sized clusters. However, infor mation on inter-female variation in these components of egg-laying beh aviour in C. signifera is currently unavailable.