Effect of temperature and photoperiod on the zootechnical performance of juvenile Butter Frog Leptodactylus latrans (Linnaeus, 1758)
Author: Fernanda de Oliveira Rosa (Currículo Lattes)
Supervisor: Dr Mario Roberto Chim Figueiredo
Abstract
Raniculture, in addition to commercial activity, can mean a means of maintaining amphibians in captivity, aiming at the conservation of these animals, currently so threatened. The decline in amphibian diversity is a worldwide problem and there is a global commotion to reduce this loss of biodiversity. Some parameters that influence cultivation include temperature (mainly), photoperiod, stocking density, food management and adequate sanitary management. The butter frog Leptodatcylus latrans (Linnaeus, 1758), a species native to Brazil, is part of a group of amphibians called Leptodactylids (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae), which is much appreciated for consumption, from capture in the environment. Jelly frog juveniles were kept in air-conditioned greenhouses, distributed in six treatments,with three temperatures (22º, 27º and 32ºC) and two photoperiods (12h: 12h L/E and 16h: 8h L/E), to evaluate the parameters of weight gain, growth, specific growth rate, apparent feed conversion and survival. The best results for the performance of butter frog juveniles were observed at a temperature of 27ºC combined with the 12h photoperiod: 12h L/E. The photoperiod, as well as the interaction between photoperiod and temperature, did not significantly affect the performance parameters. The performance results were subjected to regression analysis as a function of temperature. Thus, it was possible to verify that the data on weight gain, growth, specific growth rate and apparent feed conversion fit a quadratic distribution that relates the zootechnical performance parameters “y” with temperature “x”.Butter frog easily adapted to handling, when kept at temperatures of 27º and 32ºC, as the temperature of 22º decreased its metabolism, making the animals always hidden in the cages. The results presented here may complement research on amphibian conservation.