ニホンヒキガエルBufo japonicus japonicusの自然誌的研究 : VIII 繁殖活動に及ぼす気象の影響 STUDIES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE JAPANESE TOAD, BUFO JAPONICUS JAPONICUS. : VIII. CLIMATIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE BREEDING ACTIVITY

Breeding season of the Japanese toad, Bufo japonicus japonicus, in Kanazawa prefecture was about 10 days at the end of March or the beginning of April. In 2 ponds (H and Y) most breeding behavior was observed to begin just after the temperature increased several degrees simultaneously with the falling of rain, but in one pond (M), 2 breedings out of 3 were initiated without rain, almost all breeding behavior was interrupted when the minimum temperature decreased to 0℃ or more. It seems probable that the breeding activity of this species is influenced not only by cimatic factors such as temperature and rain, but also by other factors such as mating or the releasing call of the first arriving male.