A frog that enjoys baths? At a tree above an open bath, a spawning nest is discovered in its growths/Yamakita

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1207040026/

July 5, 2012

At the tree above the outdoor bath, Mr. Kurakara (inn manager) confirms the spawning of eggs=Yamakita-cho, Nakagawa

The onsen welcomes a "special visitor". At the Nakagawa onsen open baths of the Ao no Sansou (Japanese site) mountain villa (Yamakita-Cho), a spawning nest of the rhacophorus arboreus frog was discovered on the branch tips of a tree, quickly becoming news

A part of the rhacophoridae family, the rhacophorus arboreus frog first falls into the water as a tadpole upon hatching. They are born from the foam-like nest in the branches of trees growing in the water.

However, this nest was discovered above an open bath, which is usually boiling at close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). A female guest first  discovered a frog nest in the middle of June. Afterwards, one by one, more 10-15 centimeter nests were spotted. As of now, this is the 7th confirmed discovery.

With the onsen water presenting a danger to the tadpoles, upon discovery, inn manager Narioki Kurakara (45) transferred the nest to a waterway above a garden. This location is said to be suitable for the hatching and growth of tadpoles.

Kazumasa Arai, curator at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History (Japanese site) commented "Whether or not the waters in the area were appropriate, did (the frog)  simply make a mistake? I haven't often heard of a tadpole being born at an onsen."


Original text:
風呂好きカエル？　露天風呂の上に茂る木に産卵/山北
2012年7月5日

露天風呂の上に茂る木に産みつけられた卵を確認する倉形さん＝山北町中川

温泉に“珍客”―。山北町・中川温泉の旅館「蒼の山荘」の露天風呂で、モリアオガエルの卵の塊が木の枝先に産みつけられているのが見つかり、ちょっとした話題になっている。

アオガエル科のモリアオガエルは、ふ化したオタマジャクシが水中に落ちるよう、水面上にせり出した木の枝に泡状の卵塊を産む。

しかし、今回卵塊が見つかったのは、常時40度近い湯が沸く露天風呂の上。宿泊客の女性が６月中旬に発見したのを皮切りに、直径10～15センチの塊が次々と見つかり、これまでに計七つが確認された。

オタマジャクシには危険なため、旅館経営者の倉形興斉さん（45）が発見のたびに庭の水路の上に移している。今のところ順調にふ化し、育っているという。

県立生命の星・地球博物館の新井一政学芸員は「周囲に適した水場がなかったか、単純に間違えたのか。温泉で産んだというのはあまり聞いたことがない」としている。