本研究計畫利用野外觀察艾氏樹蛙雄蛙的生殖行為，並藉由DNA分子遺傳標記來探討艾氏樹蛙雄蛙在整個生殖季的過程與其他雄蛙、雌蛙及竹筒中受精卵(或蝌蚪)的互動及親子關係，進而探討艾氏樹蛙雄蛙親代撫育及生殖策略之行為生態學。研究計畫第一年研究內容是探討艾氏樹蛙雄蛙求偶過程中，同時性一雌多雄的交配型式與子代同母多父現象。我們在2006年4月到7月進行了26天的初步野外調查，2007年3月至4月則進行了19天的野外調查及護卵行為觀察。目前為止我們觀察到13次的假交配，其中4次是多雄一雌的交配，9次是一雄一雌的交配。多雄一雌的交配中，有3次是2隻雄蛙參與，1次是3隻雄蛙參與。在2007年的野外觀察發現，4次一雄一雌的交配中，有3次是有雄蛙留在竹筒護卵；在2次多雄一雌的交配中，有1次是有雄蛙留在竹筒護卵，但只有一隻雄蛙留下護卵。以現有的資料來看，多雄一雌交配的雄蛙護卵投資比例比一雄一雌交配的雄蛙護卵比例少。 This project were to study the parental care, reproductive strategies and behavioral ecology of Chirixalus eiffingeri male frogs by field observation on the social interactions between male frogs with conspecifics and genetic analyses of the relationship between male frogs and fertilized eggs and tadpoles. The purpose of the project this year is to study the multi-male mating and multiple paternity. We surveyed amplexus pair (mating pair) from April to July 2006 and March to April 2007. A total of thirteen mating pairs were found over 45 nights, and four of them were multi-male mating pairs, including two to three males per mating. Three out of thirteen mating pairs did not lay egg clutches after amplexus, and two of them were multi-male matings. In 2007, we also conducted field observation on egg attendance of male frogs after amplexus. We found only one male frog in multi-male mating stayed for egg attendance, and the male involved in multi-male mating attended egg clutch at lower frequency compared with the male involved in single male mating.
