1. A problem in paradise: The vanishing Picobar Tree Frog Geoff Hyde NCBS YETI 2009 Bangalore

2. Species Unique to Picobar 346 plants 209 insects 37 birds 14 mammals 11 reptiles and amphibians

3. Picobar Tree Frog Dyscophus picobari Diurnal Insectivorous Mid-altitudes Population declining How can the population decline of the Picobar Tree Frog be halted?

4. Possible players in the population decline of the Picobar Tree Frog Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) Introduced 1999 Picobar Lady Beetle (Harmonia picobari) Threatened by fungi

5. Is population decline due to increased predation or decreased prey?

6. If increased predation…..

7. … we should see snakes eating frogs Objective 1: Do starved captive rat snakes eat Picobar Tree Frogs?

8. Preparation for exposure to frogs 27 o C + 36 o C Replication : 20 snakes

9. Snakes offered two species of frogs

10. Snakes ate the brown frogs

11. Tree frogs uneaten after one week

12. What if snakes do not have a choice? 27 o C

13. Tree frogs only, offered for one week

14. Snakes sometimes attacked tree frogs...

15. ...but quickly spat them out.

16. After one week, no frogs eaten

17. No

18. If decreased prey, frogs should strongly prefer Lady Beetles

20. 27 o C Preparation for exposure to insects Replication : 20 frogs

21. Frogs offered five species of insects

22. Frogs targeted the Lady Beetles

23. 5% Lady Beetles, 75% Brown Beetles, 100% of other species remain after a week

24. 27 o C What if frogs can't choose Lady Beetles? Replication : 20 frogs

25. Frogs offered 4 species (no Lady Beetles)

26. 45% of Brown Beetles, 100% of other species, remain after a week

27. Yes

28. Very unlikely due to Rat Snakes Is decline of Picobar Tree Frogs due to increased Rat Snake predation or decreased availability of Lady Beetles? Results support Lady Beetle hypothesis - need support from field studies - preliminary data is suggestive

29. Breed fungal-resistant Lady Beetles Captive breeding program for tree frogs Suggestions for management of population decline