The Mustache toads in China

Whiskers are usually owned mammals whose body was covered hair. Emei mustache toad (Vibrissaphora boringii or Leptobrachium boringii) males so exceptions. Whiskers are usually owned mammals whose body was covered hair. The Emei mustache toad lives in Szechuan, China, and males have a mean size of about 75 mm (3 inches), while females are about 12% shorter and 46% lighter.

The Emei mustache toad 
(Vibrssaphora boringii. (Picture from:
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/)

The males build nests in fast-flowing streams, and thereby attract females. Females are apparently fertilized while visiting the nests, and then hie off back to the forest while males remain in the nests, guarding the clutches of eggs until they hatch.

For the male Emei frogs, the mustache is everything. Whisker be a sign of courage as well as a weapon against another individual, especially during the breeding season. "They usually fought by wrestling," said Cameron Hudson from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

A comparison between an L. boringii 
male at the height of the breeding 
season and a male losing his nuptial 
spines at the end of the breeding 
season. (Picture from: http://www.plosone.org/)

Mustache was a few thorns on his upper lip. Male frogs have a larger size than the females. Body size is to describe the physical violence behavior, especially during the breeding season. Physical violence does not only occur between the males individual when fighting over the females.

The male Emei mustache frogs also known likes to attack his partner. Hudson said the "rude" behavior is not common in other amphibian types, usually males only fight with other males to compete for females.

Hudson and colleagues, Jinzhong Fu, directly monitor the Emei mustache toad mating behavior during two breeding seasons. They were caught and tagged on 77 frogs, then observe frogs which controlled the mating location every day.

During the breeding season, each stud to grow 10-16 spines on their lips. "As sharp as a pencil," said Hudson. the Emei frog not hesitate to stick a mustache prickly on the men who sought to arrest him.

Most of the time the Emei mustache frogs spent living in the woods. Each February and March, this animal down to the river for breed. They spent several weeks swimming around the rocks, and almost without food, while grunting under the water to attract females. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NEWSCIENTIST | PLOS ONE | MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | KORAN TEMPO 4282]

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