Captive breeding programme of the parsley frog (Pelodytes punctatus Daudin, 1803) at Genoa aquarium (Italy)

Published source details Emanueli L., Jesu R., Schimment G., Arillo A., Mamone A. & Lamagni L. (1997) Captive breeding programme of the parsley frog (Pelodytes punctatus Daudin, 1803) at Genoa aquarium (Italy). Herpetologica Bonnensis, 1997, 115-118.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Amphibians: Vary enclosure temperature to simulate seasonal changes in the wild Action Link
	Captive breeding frogs Action Link

Amphibians: Vary enclosure temperature to simulate seasonal changes in the wild

A small, before-and-after study in 1993 of parsley frogs Pelodytes punctatus at Genoa University, Italy found that one of six females bred following filling an egg laying pond with water and a drop in temperature from 22 to 17°C. Immediately after the drop in temperature and filling of the pond, mating and egg laying occurred when none had occurred previously, no statistical tests were carried out. One clutch (500 eggs) was produced and hatched in a separate tank. Thirty-one tadpoles were obtained from the wild in 1993. Tadpoles were housed in a 400 L tank (20 cm water) and metamorphs in a 50 x 50 x 25 cm tank. From eight months animals were housed in a 120 x 60 x 50 cm glass breeding tank with pebbles, moss and a small pond which could be filled with water for breeding. In March 1995, the terrarium was temporarily moved to a room with a steady temperature (22°C), then to a thermostatically controlled chamber (17°C) in April, at the same time the pond was filled with water.
Captive breeding frogs

A small, replicated study in 1993 of parsley frogs Pelodytes punctatus at Genoa University, Italy (Emanueli et al. 1997) found that one clutch was produced and hatched in captivity (500 eggs). One of six females bred following a drop in temperature from 20–24 to 17°C. All wild caught tadpoles survived. At metamorphosis the mortality rate of those animals was 19% due to dehydration, calcium deficiency and suffocation during feeding. Thirty-one tadpoles were obtained from the wild in 1993. Tadpoles were housed in a 400 L tank (20 cm water) and metamorphs in a 50 x 50 x 25 cm tank. From eight months animals were housed in a 120 x 60 x 50 cm glass breeding tank with filtered water, pebbles and moss. Eggs were moved to a separate tank.