Ranas y Orquideas y el Fin

 

Our final month is wrapping up here at Reserva las Tangaras (I’m not crying, you’re crying!) and as we look back on our time spent here, we realize all of the surprises that we encountered along the way. We both expected to see loads of birds while here at the reserve, and we certainly did! Every single day! But there were other organisms we encountered that we weren’t quite ready for, ones that completely held our attention for days on end.

For Juliana, the “surprise organisms” were orchids. Here she is, explaining her new-found orchid passion:

It all started when Jake suggested we visit a local Jardín de Orquídeas (Orchid Garden, pronounced “hard-een de orc-kitty-uhs”. Probably my new favorite Spanish word). I didn’t have much interest in this venture, imagining the typical white and purple orchids we find standing solitarily on side tables in the United States, but when you love a person, you support their interests. And so, we went.

Before I continue, I want you to take whatever notion you have, whatever image that comes to your mind when you absorb the word “orchid” and just FORGET IT. ERASE IT FROM YOUR MIND. Because it’s a STEREOTYPE.

Those flowers you can buy at Lowes back home? That’s simply the stuff of commercialism. Just like our fruits and veggies, we are all taught what a plant is supposed to look like and the industry does its darnedest to meet that taught expectation. But if we were to REALLY find, say..bananas in the wild, they wouldn’t look (and they don’t, trust me, there are pink bananas here) like the bananas you get at your local Costco, Harris Teeter or Piggly Wiggly (RIP). The same goes for orchids. To the Nth degree.

Our 30 minute tour through the Jardín de Orquídeas took us through 200 species (only about thirty of which were blossoming), a fraction of what exists here in Mindo and a wildly smaller fraction of what can be found in Ecuador. There are over 400 species in Mindo and 4000+ species in the country. I went from disinterested to rapt in 2 orchid species flat (roughly 3 minutes).

When we left the garden, my whole outlook was changed: more orquídeas please! We immediately begin to look for and find dozens of species of orchids on the reserve. And, as I do, I began to obsessively collect images for future identification.

Orchids are so interesting to me because: A) They are incredibly variable. They make up the second (might be first, no one can agree) largest family of flowering plants (¹⁰). As a result, you can’t just look at a flower and say “oh! that’s an orchid” because they rarely look similar (though most do have a tongue-like petal called a labellum) (¹¹). You’ve got to feel up the plant and look for the tell-tale pseudobulbs located at the base of the stem to make a confident orchid identification (¹²). (BTW, these bulbs are the reason behind the name “orchid”.  Click to read about the etymology if you like, but it’s not G rated…..)

B) Most, not all, are epiphytes, meaning here in the Cloud forest they’re found growing in mossy substrates on the trunks of trees. Once we started looking, I suddenly realized I’d been brushing elbows with orchids for weeks. Some are so resourceful, they can grow on rocks! All of the epiphytic species collect nutrients through root systems that cling onto their preferred substrate (ie tree, rock, whatever). These aerial roots are able to sap nutrients from organic detritus, animal poos (mmm!), mineral dust, and even humidity (with specialized roots called velamen) (¹²).

C) They all target specific pollinators and very few offer nectar rewards, hence their menagerie of arrangements and methods. Since most lack nectar, they must trick the pollinators into working for them fo free. This is typically done through attractive visual cues. And once the pollinator arrives, orchids get even pickier. Some orchids have such specific preferences, they’re structured to leave pollen on one small portion of the visiting pollinator to ensure that the pollinator can ONLY pollinate the same species and not cross pollinate (How many times can one say “pollinate” in a sentence?) (¹³). Others simply trap the pollinator within the flower and force it out an “exit route” that ensures pollination and prevents self-pollination. Some orchids even MIMIC lusty female insects so males will try to copulate with the flower and in the throes of love, pollinate instead of mate. (¹⁴)

Interestingly, in areas hard up for pollinators, orchids do without and self-pollinate. In public! *gasp!* (¹⁵) (¹⁶)

D) Orchids absolutely could not exist without fungus.

Wait? Do WHAT?

Orchids reproduce with seeds. No surprise there. They create bean-pod like structures that contain thousands of microscopic seeds (sometimes over a MILLION, to make sure that number is settling in, here it is written out in 1s and 0s: that’s 1,000,000,000!!!!!). These itty-bitty-babies eventually leave mama flower by hitching a ride on a gust of wind (“Spread your wings and take to the sky, my darlings” – Mama Clara Orchid). They’re super-d-duper light weight, so even in a heavy-aired cloud forest, they can float away from home base. Neat!

But being that light-weight and produced in the 100s of thousands has its costs: orchid seeds lack endosperms aka nutrients to survive off of in order to germinate and become new plants. So, they’re literally set up to fail. It’s about this time in the story we start frantically searching for a hero to save these babies from waste. Search no more, fungus is here! Each species of orchid has a tight relationship with a species of fungus. Orchid seeds MUST meet up with their fungus allies in order to grow beyond seeds because the fungus will provide the seed the nutrients it needs to develop. (¹⁷)

Needing to find the perfect type of fungus when you’re just an itty bitty seed with no sense of direction or map is pretty darn hard (heck, it’s pretty darn hard for full-grown adult humans to find their perfect types….). And so, many orchid seeds do go to waste and only a minute amount make it to adulthood. But those that happen upon the right fungus grow up to share their beautiful petals with any willing witness. As a result of this relationship, conservationists CANNOT protect wild orchids without protecting their habitats, because it’s within these habitats that the partner fungi live.

The more I learn about the connections between ecosystems & organisms, the more I realize fungus (and bacteria) is truly the wizard behind the curtain…there’s a lot of processes they are responsible for that we just never even think about  —  ahem, for example, beer.

Hold up…JZ’s got something to say: WHY WOULD FUNGUS AND PLANTS PARTNER UP?? Because they’ve coexisted for a long, long time! We are tinier than the tiniest orchid in the grand scheme of things…

Speaking of tiny orchids, here are some Platysteles species, which are smaller than a grain of rice. They’re really, really cute.

So, as you can see, I have become completely enchanted by orchids. And not ONE of the blooms I’ve encountered looks even remotely like the side-table standers from back home (If you’re tired of reading and just wanna see some dang orchids already, scroll down.)

And just as they are variable in appearance, they are variable in scent becuase they’re attracting those incredibly specific pollinators. Those orchids that employ scent to trick-and-not-treat use smells that range from citrusy to clean linen to valentine’s heart candies (I guess for attracting 1st graders?) to rotting cadavers to chocolate (for attracting Julianas) to bubblegum to sweet garbage to vanilla. Oh hey! Guess what! Vanilla is an ORCHID.

The most difficult thing about this new obsession is the level of effort it takes to determine an ID for each orchid. There are NO online resources (I tried googling “orchid species Ecuador” and now I can tell you all about the various orchid tours available in Ecuador!!) Fortunately, I’ve been able to rely on the Orchid Garden staff to help me make identifications at least to the genus levels. Pictured below are some orchids we haven’t yet identified…

And so, that’s the story all about how my birding addiction got waylaid by orchids at the Reserva las Tangaras !

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For Jake, the surprise organisms was frogs. It’s not that he wasn’t already intensely interested in these creatures, it’s just that he learned and saw some surprising things about them:

This past February the rainfall totaled at 591.20 mm, higher than the last three Februarys here at Las Tangaras. It is no surprise that this soaking creates an amphibian paradise. Mindo, and its plentiful rain seasons, harbor one of the most unique and biodiverse collection of frogs in the world. These frogs have taught me so much I did not know and captivated me throughout our stay. Here is one way analyze the anuran diversity in the Cloud Forests of Ecuador:

Wet conditions are often associated with amphibians because water is needed for reproduction. Most amphibians start their lives in the water and bear little (if any) resemblance to their adult form. They then undergo a drastic transformation¹, called metamorphosis, providing them with characteristics and tools to help them survive on land. From here on out, there is a varying amount of dependency each species has on water, but most are restricted to reproduction in an aquatic habitat². Many frogs exemplify this process by laying their eggs in the water, which then hatch into a strictly aquatic form. This form is commonly known as a tadpole— essentially a large round head with a tail used for aquatic propulsion. When they reach a certain point in their juvenile lives, they will begin to change. They begin to trade their tails for legs and hop into the frog form we are most familiar with.

There is a ton involved in this process and I am over simplifying and generalizing for brevity. But what is important to note is this is the primitive reproduction method for amphibians. It has existed in frogs for approximately 220 million years and is still the predominate form of reproduction today. Around 50% of all anurans (frogs) use this method of water eggs > tadpole > metamorphosis > terrestrial (or semi-terrestrial) adult³. Clearly this is a successful strategy and has some huge benefits. For one, problems of water loss during embryonic development are nonexistent because the eggs are laid in the water. Also, restricting juveniles and adults to their own individual environments prevents competition for food amongst the same species. Juveniles can eat for growth in the water, adults can eat to nourish reproduction on land, and neither has to do so at the expense of the other.

This development strategy is used by most of the frogs I work with in South Carolina and it is also the strategy used by several species here in the Cloud Forest of Ecuador:

The Babbling Torenteer (Hyloscritus alytolylax). A Hylid (treefrog) whose name indicates the rage of the waters it breeds near. This frog will mate near rivers or waterfalls and then lay eggs in the small pools that form on the edges of these water systems. The photo above pictures a metamorph— This froglet recently underwent metamorphosis, came on land, but still possesses some of its tail.

The Executioner Clown Frog (Dendropsophus carnifex)⁴ congregates in low lying areas and reproduces in the standing or slowly flowing water that collects from heavy rainfall. At Las Tangaras, these frogs are most commonly spotted at the start of the Motmot Trail. We frequently find them in a flattened area that serves as a water catchment from the hillsides surrounding it.

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Though the above frogs are incredibly fascinating, I am certainly not constructing this article to discuss the common reproductive methods of amphibians. The other half of the world’s frog species are groups that are new to me. These include most of the frog species that surround us. They have a whole mess of tweaks they’ve added to this traditional reproductive strategy. All are designed to help them cope in unique environments.

These frogs lessen their need for a stable and consistent water source by laying their eggs on land. Amphibians, even terrestrial egg layers, lay eggs devout of a hard outer membrane and thus, are extremely vulnerable to water loss. Amniotes, such as birds and reptiles, lay eggs on land with a hard outer shell to prevent dehydration. Amphibians who laid their eggs in water had no need to expend the energy needed to create an impermeable membrane. So to lay eggs on land, amphibians needed to come up with a way to overcome this hurdle. They also needed to get the hatchling tadpoles back to the water. The cloud forests of Ecuador is certainly not a bad place to attempt this feat.

An analysis of many of the worlds frog species has shown terrestrial egg layers lay larger eggs. The larger surface to volume ratio helps decrease water loss⁵, Just like a larger body size helps decrease heat loss (as elephants can retain heat better than mice). Furthermore, most terrestrial eggs are packed closer together, further decreasing the area for water to dissipate. Seems simple, but it has come at a cost. Because of their larger size, more nutrients and energy has to be allocated for the development of these eggs. So the clutch size is often less and the average adult size of terrestrial egg-laying frogs is also smaller compared to aquatic egg-layers.

An example of one of the frogs who lays their eggs on land is the Emerald Glassfrog (Centrolenella prosoblepon). A very common frog found at Las Tangaras along the river embankments. Males will vocalize at night with the hopes of attracting a female. Following this attraction and the deeds that come with it, females will lay their eggs on vegetation just above the water edge. When the eggs hatch, out come the tadpoles who fall directly into the water to begin their stent in the Cloud Forests of Mindo.

Frog eggs are not only susceptible to dehydration, but also predation. The decreased clutch sizes of terrestrial eggs are especially vulnerable to predation because there are so few eggs to spare. In many species this has led to advanced forms of parental care. Keeping watch over your eggs helps prevent tampering or consumption. Many species of Glassfrogs will watch over their eggs. But in Mindo, it is the Darwin Wallace Poison-frog (Epipedobates darwinwallacei) that wins the best parent award. This frog and many other dendrobatids (Poison Frogs) will lay their eggs in a damp area on land. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles will ride on their mother’s back until she can find a suitable water hole for them to reside in⁶.

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It is only natural for this metamorphic saga to continue with the largest family of frogs in Mindo: the Rainfrogs (Craugastoridae).

Carrying your offspring to the river can be a bit of a hassle. Especially so if you have already invested so much in laying big whopping eggs and also have to deal with the unpredictability of the environment around you. So, why depend on water at all? Do frogs have to go through a tadpole stage? Rainfrogs have shown that, no, frogs do not have to start out as tadpoles. Rainfrogs do not lay eggs in the water. In fact, many species never step foot in a body of water. Rainfrogs emerge from their terrestrial eggs as fully formed frogs, skipping the tadpole stage entirely. This is what we call direct development⁷.

In order to do this, Rainfrogs lay even larger eggs. Inside these eggs you will find a large yolk sac used to provide a surplus of nutrients facilitating the transition into the adult form. Looking closely at the embryos’ development, you will see these frogs begin growing legs very early. So they truly skip the tadpole stage and emerge as fully formed froglets. In embryonic development they do retain a tail, but this is speculated to aid in respiration⁸.

Upon hatching, the juveniles enter a terrestrial world. They enter the same world their adult conspecifics inhabit. Competing in the same environment for similar food items is definitely not beneficial for a species. However, many species seem to have found a work-around to ease this notion. Field notes of many herpetologist, and our own observations, indicate that younger and smaller members of the Pastures Rainfrog (Pristimantis achatinus) are most active during the daylight hours. On the other hand, the adults often restrict their activity to dawn, dusk, and night. The juvenile’s small size perhaps allows the frog to rapidly cool itself under leaf litter on hot Ecuadorian days. The larger adults do not have this privilege and thus are limited to foraging during the cooler night⁹.

The Andes Mountains are characterized by heavy and unpredictable rainfalls, fast moving water ways, and drastic elevation changes. Mudslides and directional changes in rivers are common occurrences, and there are often extended drought periods brought on by El Ninio. It is no wonder this group of frogs found more success abandoning the old ways of amphibians and releasing themselves from the restrictions of aquatic reproduction. In doing so, they have opened up a new door for Team Frogs—They now have the ability to populate previously un-amphibian populated habitats.

The genus Pristimantis— Which is the current genus given to Rainfrogs— is the most specious genus (aka most diverse) of terrestrial vertebrates on the planet. Spreading to new heights and new environments and rapidly evolving characteristics to be successful in these areas, has resulted in over 500 species of Rainfrog—Probably by the time you read this sentence the exact number will have changed. It is estimated that frog species are being found at a rate of 15 species per year¹⁰. The sheer diversity amongst the species is seemingly endless. To give you a taste, these are the few I have had the privilege of photographing in the parish of Mindo:

Pastures Rainfrog (Pristimantis acuritis): This frog is perhaps the most common anuran found on the reserve. As its name suggests, it populates and dominates open habitats such as pastures. Their vocalizations often dominate the night sounds right outside Reserva las Tangaras lodge.

Yellow-groined Rainfrog (Pristimantis luteolateralis): Another common Rainfrog on the reserve seen most commonly on vegetation only a couple feet off the ground. It will hop from leaf to leaf looking for mouth sized insects to consume. The very similar Pristimantis walkeri looks identical to luteolateralis. However, walkeri occurs at elevations below 1240m, while luteolateralis occurs above.

Rio Faisanes Rainfrog (Pristimantis muricatus): A rare species endemic to the lower montane forests of Ecuador. We encountered this species on the Bosque Trail at Las Tangaras. This species, along with 16 other species of herps, are yet to be included in the field guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Mindo Ecuador due to their recent discoveries in the parish

Lonely Rainfrog (Pristimantis eremites): This frog occurs at elevations of roughly 1700m – 2500m. The Bosque trail is the only place at Las Tangaras this frog could potentially be seen. However, to my knowledge it has not yet been sighted. However, a trip to Bellavista may prove successful. This photo was taken at the Bellavista lodge.

Fern-loving Rainfrog (Pristimantis pteridophilus): “a nocturnal fern specialist” as described in the ‘Amphibians and Reptiles of Mindo’. Though the photo is not of this frog on a fern, these cryptic frogs have a preference for perching on ferns.

Spring Rainfrog (Pristimantis crenunguis): The largest of all Mindoan Rainfrogs. Though it is an endangered species, the Spring Rainfrog is very common in the localized areas in which it occurs. To my knowledge this frog has not been seen a Las Tangaras, but is often sighted at our neighboring property. They have unforgettably unique vocalizations.

Watchful Rainfrog (Pristimantis nyctophylax): An aptly named species seemingly for its big bulging eyes. These frogs are also commonly seen perched on low lying vegetation at night. This particular individual was rather fortuitous in our presence. Our head lamps attracted a good number of bugs and we witnessed this frog reach up and snag a large bug mid-flight. The hind toe pads kept this frog attached to the leaf.

Blue-thighed Rainfrog (Pristimantis crucifer): Perhaps my most favorite. The piercing red eyes of this species are like nothing I have ever seen. These are secretive frogs, with no known vocalization. They inhabit the deep primary forests of the reserve, such as the Bosque Trail.

Mutable Rainfrog (Pristimantis mutabilis): This is a frog that has thrown everyone for a loop. This species was first collected in 2006. However it was challenging for herpetologists to determine whether it was a new species, or a morph of an existing species, for this frog has the ability to change its skin texture. The spiky looking structures (turbercles) covering the frog can vanish in a matter of minutes. So people would collect this frog in the field, and look at it in the lab and think they had accidentally collected a completely different frog. It was finally described as its own species in 2015 and is often referred to as the punk rock frog. Since its description, several other Rainfrogs have been found to have this ability

Mindo Rainfrog (Pristimantis mindo): A rather new species described in 2012. We hear this species calling frequently around Reserva Las Tangaras, but due to their highly arboreal and cryptic nature they are only seldomly seen. They were provided the species name ‘mindo’ after the anuran-diverse region they are endemic to.

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So to conclude: frogs in the cloud forests of Ecuador are diverse! I have attempted to provide a framework as to why. Yet there certainly are many more reasons behind this diversity and it extends far beyond just amphibians. The birds are unlike anything I have encountered. The bugs are 10 times as plentiful and as colorful. The flowers.. well Juliana’s covered that. Mindo is an incredible place, and Juliana and I both have seen so much and learned far more than we could have expected.

And now, it’s time to move on for us. We will miss Reserva las Tangaras and all its inhabitants (especially the Hummingbirds) tremendously, but we are forever grateful for this experience and will never forget it for the rest of our days. Do yourselves a favor and come visit so yous can get a taste of what we’re raving about! 

Ciao for now, Reserva las Tangaras! 

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Orchid Citations:

10. https://raincoastorchids.com/unique-orchid-species/
11.https://www.ctu.edu.vn/~dvxe/Hoa%20Lan/Doc%20on%20web/Orchid%20Anatomy.htm
12.http://staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/OrchidPlantPartandWhyTheyMatterbySueBottom.pdf
13.http://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/species/tipularia/discolor/
14. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150202-three-ways-orchids-trick-insects
15. https://www.livescience.com/830-bizarre-sex-life-orchid.html
16. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep521
17. https://excelsior.asc.ohio-state.edu/~rothacker/Rothackers_orchid_pages/Fungi_and_orchids.html

Frog Citations:

1.  This transformation can be initiated by a number of factors. And as they get older, or as food in the environment decreases, or as predation increases, or for whatever reason (WILBUR COLLINS model, 1973)
2. Some amphibians even return to the water for a third life stage such as Notophthalmus viridescens
3. Gomez-Mestre et al. 
4. Yes that is the actual common name of this frog. The entomology of the species name ‘carnifex’ translates to hangman. This is in relation to herpetologist John Lynch, who collected many of the early specimens leading to the description of this species. I believe common name is in relation to this as well.
5.  Gomez-Mestre et al. 
6. darwinwallacei may carry their young to suitable water holes. However, if food is scarce the tadpoles will often consume each other. Best parent award, yes, but best sibling? I don’t think so.
7. Though I have laid this post out in a seemingly flawless transitional sequence, it turns out direct development in frogs did not evolve from frogs more prone to laying their eggs on land and taking their tadpoles to the water. Rather, taxonomical research suggest this form of development evolved from the ‘traditional’ method of laying eggs in the water. Gomez-Mestre et al. 
8.  https://www.sdbcore.org/object?ObjectID=316
9. I speculate this work-around could only work in the tropics. The closer to the equator, the less fluctuation in photoperiods and temperatures. Animals outside of the tropics are required to cope with an array of weather conditions, thus restrictions would be tough to impose. Adults would feed during the winter days because they would match the summer nights, and vice versa for juveniles. Even though there is a clear divide between activity periods in adult and juvenile Rainfrogs, this is not collectively agreed upon. If there is food to be eaten and you can eat it, you do. That is life.
10. S. BLAIR HEDGES et al. New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeog- raphy, and conservation