Diet and observations on natural history of Gabohyla pauloalvini (Bokermann 1973) (Amphibia: Hylidae), from cacao agroforestry in S Bahia, Brazil

Gabohyla pauloalvini is a small Neotropical hylid, known only from three localities besides its type locality. Knowledge about its natural history is scarce and we present the first data about its diet. We conducted our fieldwork during the rainy period between November and December of the years 2014 and 2015. Thirty-eight G. pauloalvini individuals, collected in a semi-permanent pond inside a “cabruca” (cacao plantation shaded by trees), municipality of Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil, were stomach-flushed. All stomach contents were identified to the lower taxonomic category as possible. The Index of Relative Importance (IRI) revealed that Formicidae was the most important prey category for G. pauloalvini. We assume that G. pauloalvini is an ant specialist. Diet records for other species of the tribe Sphaenorhynchini showed mainly ants as prey items, which reinforces an ecological synapomorphy for this tribe. Beyond diet, we also reported observations of possible parental care performed by G. pauloalvini females.