Tadpole fingerprinting: Using tail venation patterns to photo‐identify tadpole individuals of a threatened frog

Traditional methods for identifying individual amphibians in capture–mark–recapture (CMR) studies have been primarily confined to post-metamorphic stages, using artificial markers that come with a variety of limitations. An alternative may open CMR earlier life stages involves the use species' natural external photo-based identification. In this study, we investigated whether it was possible distinguish tadpoles threatened green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) at level based on tail venation patterns. We collected photographs tails captive-raised smartphone over 4-week period. This photo-library used create an electronic survey where participants were asked detect matches query from small image pools. found most agreed match each query, perfect consensus achieved queries (83%). detected 14% decline when images separated by longer time intervals, suggesting is more difficult visually identify recapture events L. aurea extended periods due changes appearance. However, obtained all queries, verified as being correct primary researcher. The strength agreement among no prior experience matching tadpole suggests there sufficient inter-individual variation feature individuals be manually identified. thus propose photo-identification likely valid, non-invasive technique can short-term populations display venation. offers not allow identification, while also opening up monitoring programmes citizen scientists who recruited online process data home.