—In the presence of predators, anuran tadpoles often exhibit behavioral plasticity, which in turn reduces predation risk. We evaluated indirect effects of odonate larva predation on activity of Bufo arenarum tadpoles. We reared intact and tail-damaged larvae in three different predator treatments: (1) caged predators fed tadpoles; (2) caged predators that were starved; and (3) no predators. Bot...

The validity of the published description of Hyla rufitela is questioned because the origin of the described tadpoles does not correspond to the distribution of this species. The present description, based on tadpoles that were hatched from two egg masses from the Caribbean lowland of Costa Rica, includes tadpoles raised to adult frogs to verify the species. The newly described tadpoles differ ...

Socio-ecological models combine environmental and social factors to explain the formation of animal groups. In anurans, tadpole aggregations have been reported in numerous species, but the factors driving this behaviour remain unclear. We conducted controlled choice experiments in the lab to determine whether green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) tadpoles are directly attracted to conspeci...

In a previous study, we demonstrated that tadpoles are suitable organisms for monitoring small bodies of water (e.g., creeks, ponds, and drainage ditches) for genotoxicity using the alkaline single-cell gel DNA electrophoresis (SCG) or "comet" assay [Ralph and Petras, 1997]. This approach involves detection, under alkaline conditions, of cell DNA fragments which on electrophoresis migrate from ...

We measured the critical thermal maxima (CTMax) of tadpoles of Buergeria japonica inhabiting streams and geothermal hot springs. The CTMax of all B. japonica tadpoles was over 41 C, indicating that the tadpoles are heat-tolerant. At Rushan, we monitored the temporal and spatial distribution of tadpoles over a 24-h period in a 220 cm X 70 cm-plot that is fed by a geothermal hot spring. The therm...

introduction: effects of melatonin (mt) were comparatively examined on melanophores of isolated skin in adults and tadpole’s tailfin of a frog rana cyanophlyctis. mt is generally considered as a potent melanophores aggregating hormone besides regulating the sleep wake cycle in vertebrates. methods: melanophore size index (msi) was chosen as a recording parameter of the responses. concentration-...

—Anuran larvae (tadpoles) can alter their behavior and morphology in response to predators with which they have coevolved. Furthermore, tadpoles of a few species are capable of learning, which can elicit or reinforce predator-avoidance behaviors. However, it remains unclear how widespread this capacity for learning is among anurans and whether it is biased in favor of evolutionarily familiar pr...

This study provides detailed morphological descriptions of previously unknown tadpoles of the treefrog genus Boophis Tschudi and analyses of habitat preferences of several of these tadpoles in Ranomafana National Park. A total of twenty-two tadpoles determined via DNA barcoding are characterized morphologically herein, fourteen of them for the first time. Twelve of these tadpoles belong to taxo...

The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is sensitive to high temperature. Hence, exposing amphibians to high temperature may be a method to clear Bd infection. However, the effect of exposure to elevated temperature has never been tested in larval stages or temperate species.We experimentally exposed tadpoles of the toad Alytes obstetricans to low, medium and high tempe...

Anuran larvae, which are otherwise simple in shape, typically have complex keratinized mouthparts (i.e. labial teeth and jaw sheaths) that allow them to graze upon surfaces. The diversity in these structures among species presumably reflects specializations that allow for maximal feeding efficiency on different types of food. However, we lack a general understanding of how these oral structures...