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Population genetics and independently replicated evolution of predator-associated burst speed ecophenotypy in mosquitofish. Heredity (Edinb) 2022; 128:45-55. [PMID: 34876658 PMCID: PMC8733020 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-021-00487-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Many species show replicated ecophenotypy due to recurring patterns of natural selection. Based on the presence or absence of pursuit predators, at least 17 species of fish repeatedly differentiated in body shape in a manner that increases burst swimming speed and the likelihood of predator escape. The predator-associated burst speed (PABS) ecophenotype is characterized by a small head and trunk and enlarged caudal region. Mechanisms promoting replicated phenotype-environment association include selection (without evolution), a single instance of adaptive evolution followed by biased habitat occupation, repeated instances of local adaptation, or adaptive phenotypic plasticity. Common garden rearing of mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, demonstrated a likely heritable basis for PABS phenotypy, but it is unknown whether populations are otherwise genetically distinct or whether replicated ecophenotypy represents a single or replicated instances of adaptation. To genetically characterize the populations and test hypotheses of single or multiple adaptations, we characterized variation in 12 polymorphic DNA microsatellites in the previously studied G. affinis populations. Populations were genetically distinct by multilocus analysis, exhibited high allelic diversity, and were heterozygote deficient, which effects were attributed to G. affinis's shoaling nature and habitat patchiness. Genetic and phenotypic distances among populations were correlated for non-PABS but not PABS morphology. Multilocus analysis demonstrated ecophenotype polyphyly and scattered multivariate genetic structure which support only the replicated-adaptation model. As all of the diverse tests performed demonstrated lack of congruence between patterns of molecular genetic and PABS differentiation, it is likely that divergent natural selection drove multiple instances of adaptive evolution.
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2
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Zambrano-Fernández S, Zamora-Camacho FJ, Aragón P. Direct and indirect effects of chronic exposure to ammonium on anuran larvae survivorship, morphology, and swimming speed. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132349. [PMID: 34826957 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Several constituents of the current global change are usually deemed accountable for the worldwide declines of amphibian populations. Among these, water contamination poses a major threat, especially to larval stages, which are unable to escape a polluted water body. This problem is remarkable in agrosystems, one of the main sources of water pollution and whose area is forecasted to increase in the forthcoming decades. However, pollutants represent a selective pressure that may result in tolerance in affected areas. In this work, we tested whether chronic exposure to a sublethal concentration of ammonium (10 mg/L), one of the most frequent agrochemicals, affects differently hatching success, survivorship, morphology and swimming performance of Pelophylax perezi tadpoles from agrosystem and pine grove habitats. Ammonium diminished survivorship at the earliest stages after hatching. Thus, lower density was a by-product of exposure to ammonium. Higher density slowed down development, reduced snout-vent length, and had a sharper negative effect on body mass and tail length and depth of ammonium treated individuals with respect to the control. In turn, ammonium accelerated development and increased body mass, SVL, and tail length and depth. These effects did not depend on provenance habitat. However, only pine grove tadpoles' swimming speed was negatively affected by ammonium, which supports the hypothesis that agrosystem tadpoles are more tolerant to ammonium. Finally, corroborating previous findings, tadpoles with larger bodies and tails were faster swimmers, whereas proportionally more massive individuals were slower, and tail depth was unrelated to swimming speed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, (MNCN-CSIC), C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C/José Antonio Novais 2, 2804, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Pedro Aragón
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, (MNCN-CSIC), C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain; Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C/José Antonio Novais 2, 2804, Madrid, Spain
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3
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Katayama N, Okamura K, Tanimura K. Phenotypic Plasticity of Salamander Hatchlings in the Pre-Feeding Stage in Response to Future Prey. Zoolog Sci 2021; 38:397-404. [PMID: 34664914 DOI: 10.2108/zs210006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Vulnerability of animals immediately after hatching may induce plasticity in early ontology that becomes important for subsequent survival and growth. Ezo salamanders (Hynobius retardatus) are amphibians inhabiting ponds in Hokkaido, Japan where ezo brown frogs (Rana pirica) spawn on occasion. The salamander larvae must achieve sufficient size in order to successfully capture frog tadpoles, and we examined whether the presence of tadpoles causes development of greater body and/or gape size in newly hatched salamander larvae, which will in turn result in advantageous future prey-predator interactions. To examine this hypothesis, we conducted three laboratory experiments to demonstrate the phenotypic plasticity of salamander hatchlings in response to the presence or absence of frog tadpoles and to screen the type of signals involved in the expression of the phenotypic plasticity. First, salamander hatchlings were reared alone or with tadpoles, and the growth and morphological traits of the hatchlings were compared. The results showed that hatchling larvae grew faster with a more developed gape in the presence of tadpoles. Next, to identify the type of signals inducing this plasticity, two separate experiments with manipulated chemical and visual signals from tadpoles were conducted. The findings showed that faster growth and a more developed gape were induced by chemical but not visual signals. This plasticity may be an adaptive strategy because it increases the likelihood of preying on tadpoles in future prey-predator interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noboru Katayama
- General Education, Faculty of Commerce, Otaru University of Commerce, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-8501, Japan,
| | - Kakeru Okamura
- General Education, Faculty of Commerce, Otaru University of Commerce, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-8501, Japan
| | - Keina Tanimura
- General Education, Faculty of Commerce, Otaru University of Commerce, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-8501, Japan
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Mühlenhaupt M, Baxter-Gilbert J, Makhubo BG, Riley JL, Measey J. Growing up in a new world: trait divergence between rural, urban, and invasive populations of an amphibian urban invader. NEOBIOTA 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.69.67995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cities are focal points of introduction for invasive species. Urban evolution might facilitate the success of invasive species in recipient urban habitats. Here we test this hypothesis by rearing tadpoles of a successful amphibian urban coloniser and invader in a common garden environment. We compared growth rate, morphological traits, swimming performance, and developmental rate of guttural toad tadpoles (Sclerophrys gutturalis) from native rural, native urban, and non-native urban habitats. By measuring these traits across ontogeny, we were also able to compare divergence across different origins as the tadpoles develop. The tadpoles of non-native urban origin showed significantly slower developmental rate (e.g., the proportion of tadpoles reaching Gosner stage 31 or higher was lower at age 40 days) than tadpoles of native urban origin. Yet, tadpoles did not differ in growth rate or any morphological or performance trait examined, and none of these traits showed divergent ontogenetic changes between tadpoles of different origin. These findings suggest that prior adaptation to urban habitats in larval traits likely does not play an important role in facilitating the invasion success of guttural toads into other urban habitats. Instead, we suggest that evolutionary changes in larval traits after colonization (e.g., developmental rate), together with decoupling of other traits and phenotypic plasticity might explain how this species succeeded in colonising extra-limital urban habitats.
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Reyes-Grajales E, Macip-Ríos R, Iverson JB, Matamoros WA. Population Ecology and Morphology of the Central Chiapas Mud Turtle (Kinosternon abaxillare). CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1440.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Reyes-Grajales
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas. México. CP. 29039. Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México [; ]
| | - Rodrigo Macip-Ríos
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Ex. Hacienda de San José La Huerta, 58190 Morelia, México []
| | - John B. Iverson
- Department of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana 47374 USA []
| | - Wilfredo A. Matamoros
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas. México. CP. 29039. Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México [; ]
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6
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Gahm K, Arietta AZA, Skelly DK. Temperature‐mediated trade‐off between development and performance in larval wood frogs (
Rana sylvatica
). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:146-157. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaija Gahm
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
| | | | - David K. Skelly
- School of the Environment Yale University New Haven Connecticut USA
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Smolinský R, Baláž V, Nürnberger B. Tadpoles of hybridising fire-bellied toads (B. bombina and B. variegata) differ in their susceptibility to predation. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231804. [PMID: 33285552 PMCID: PMC7721483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of adaptive divergence in the formation of new species has been the subject of much recent debate. The most direct evidence comes from traits that can be shown to have diverged under natural selection and that now contribute to reproductive isolation. Here, we investigate differential adaptation of two fire-bellied toads (Anura, Bombinatoridae) to two types of aquatic habitat. Bombina bombina and B. variegata are two anciently diverged taxa that now reproduce in predator-rich ponds and ephemeral aquatic sites, respectively. Nevertheless, they hybridise extensively wherever their distribution ranges adjoin. We show in laboratory experiments that, as expected, B. variegata tadpoles are at relatively greater risk of predation from dragonfly larvae, even when they display a predator-induced phenotype. These tadpoles spent relatively more time swimming and so prompted more attacks from the visually hunting predators. We argue in the discussion that genomic regions linked to high activity in B. variegata should be barred from introgression into the B. bombina gene pool and thus contribute to gene flow barriers that keep the two taxa from merging into one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radovan Smolinský
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Baláž
- Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Beate Nürnberger
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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McInerney EP, Silla AJ, Byrne PG. Do dietary carotenoids improve the escape-response performance of southern corroboree frog larvae? BEHAVIOUR 2020. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Dietary antioxidants can improve escape-response performance in adult vertebrates, but whether juveniles receive similar benefits remains untested. Here, we investigated the effect of two dietary carotenoids (β-carotene and lutein) on the escape-response of juvenile corroboree frogs (Pseudophryne corroboree) at two developmental points (early and late larval development). We found that burst speed was lower during late larval development compared to early larval development, particularly in the low- and high-dose lutein treatments. These findings suggest that performance decreased over time, and was reduced by lutein consumption. At each developmental point we found no treatment effect on escape-response, providing no evidence for carotenoid benefits. A previous study in corroboree frogs demonstrated that carotenoids improved adult escape-response, so our findings suggest that benefits of carotenoids in this species may be life-stage dependent. Continued investigation into how carotenoids influence escape-response at different life-stages will provide insights into mechanistic links between nutrition and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma P. McInerney
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Aimee J. Silla
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Phillip G. Byrne
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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9
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Supekar S, Gramapurohit N. Does temporal variation in predation risk affect antipredator responses of larval Indian Skipper Frogs ( Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis)? CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Predation risk varies on a moment-to-moment basis, through day and night, lunar and seasonal cycles, and over evolutionary time. Hence, it is adaptive for prey animals to exhibit environment-specific behaviour, morphology, and (or) life-history traits. Herein, the effects of temporally varying predation risk on growth, behaviour, morphology, and life-history traits of larval Indian Skipper Frogs (Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (Schneider, 1799)) were studied by exposing them to no risk, continuous, predictable, and unpredictable risks at different time points. Our results show that larval E. cyanophlyctis could learn the temporal pattern of risk leading to weaker behavioural responses under predictable risk and stronger responses to unpredictable risk. Temporally varying predation risk had a significant impact on tadpole morphology. Tadpoles facing continuous risk had narrow tail muscles. Tadpoles facing predictable risk during the day were heavy with wide and deep tail muscles, whereas those facing predictable risk at night had long tails. Tadpoles facing unpredictable risk were heavy with narrow tail muscles. Metamorphic traits of E. cyanophlyctis were also affected by the temporal variation in predation risk. Tadpoles facing predictable risk during the day emerged at the largest size. However, tadpoles facing predictable risk at night and unpredictable risk metamorphosed earlier, whereas those facing continuous risk metamorphosed later.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.C. Supekar
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, India
| | - N.P. Gramapurohit
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, India
- Department of Zoology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, India
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10
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Adult frogs and tadpoles have different macroevolutionary patterns across the Australian continent. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:1385-1391. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0268-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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11
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Perotti MG, Pueta M, Jara FG, Úbeda CA, Moreno Azocar DL. Lack of functional link in the tadpole morphology induced by predators. Curr Zool 2016; 62:227-235. [PMID: 29491910 PMCID: PMC5804239 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zow014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Most studies of predator-induced plasticity have focused on documenting how prey species respond to predators by modifying phenotypic traits and how traits correlate with fitness. We have previously shown that Pleurodema thaul tadpoles exposed to the dragonfly Rhionaeschna variegata responded strongly by showing morphological changes, less activity, and better survival than non-exposed tadpoles. Here, we tested whether there is a functional link between morphological plasticity and increased survival in the presence of predators. Tadpoles that experienced predation risk were smaller, less developed, and much less active than tadpoles without this experience. Burst speed did not correlate significantly with morphological changes and predator-induced deeper tails did not act as a lure to divert predator strikes away from the head. Although we have previously found that tadpoles with predator-induced morphology survive better under a direct predator threat, our results on the functional link between morphology and fitness are not conclusive. Our results suggest that in P. thaul tadpoles (1) burst speed is not important to evade predators, (2) those exposed to predators reduce their activity, and (3) morphological changes do not divert predator attacks away from areas that compromise tadpole survivalEE. Our results show that morphological changes in P. thaul tadpoles do not explain burst speed or lure attraction, although there was a clear reduction of activity, which itself reduces predation. We propose that changes in tadpole activity could be further analyzed from another perspective, with morphological change as an indirect product of behavior mediated by physiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gabriela Perotti
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Mariana Pueta
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina.,Departamento de Biología General. Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina, and
| | - Fabián Gastón Jara
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Carmen Adria Úbeda
- Departamento de Zoología, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, 8400, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
| | - Debora Lina Moreno Azocar
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina
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12
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Mikolajewski DJ, Scharnweber K, Jiang B, Leicht S, Mauersberger R, Johansson F. Changing the habitat: the evolution of intercorrelated traits to escape from predators. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1394-405. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - K. Scharnweber
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - B. Jiang
- Institut für Biologie; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - S. Leicht
- Institut für Biologie; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
| | - R. Mauersberger
- Förderverein Feldberg-Uckermärkische Seenlandschaft e.V.; Templin Germany
| | - F. Johansson
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
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13
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Catalano SA, Torres A. Phylogenetic inference based on landmark data in 41 empirical data sets. ZOOL SCR 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Santiago A. Catalano
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (UEL); FML-CONICET; Miguel Lillo 251, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán Tucumán Argentina
| | - Ambrosio Torres
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (UEL); FML-CONICET; Miguel Lillo 251, 4000 San Miguel de Tucumán Tucumán Argentina
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14
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Ramírez-Sánchez MM, De Luna E, Cramer C. Geometric and traditional morphometrics for the assessment of character state identity: multivariate statistical analyses of character variation in the genusArrenurus(Acari, Hydrachnidia, Arrenuridae). Zool J Linn Soc 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcia M. Ramírez-Sánchez
- Lab. de Acarología “Anita Hoffmann”; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Coyoacán Distrito Federal C.P. 04510 México
| | - Efraín De Luna
- Biodiversidad y Sistemática; Instituto de Ecología AC; Xalapa Veracruz C.P. 91070 México
| | - Cristina Cramer
- Lab. de Acarología “Anita Hoffmann”; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Coyoacán Distrito Federal C.P. 04510 México
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15
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Gvoždík L, Smolinský R. Body size, swimming speed, or thermal sensitivity? Predator-imposed selection on amphibian larvae. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:238. [PMID: 26525734 PMCID: PMC4630873 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0522-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many animals rely on their escape performance during predator encounters. Because of its dependence on body size and temperature, escape velocity is fully characterized by three measures, absolute value, size-corrected value, and its response to temperature (thermal sensitivity). The primary target of the selection imposed by predators is poorly understood. We examined predator (dragonfly larva)-imposed selection on prey (newt larvae) body size and characteristics of escape velocity using replicated and controlled predation experiments under seminatural conditions. Specifically, because these species experience a wide range of temperatures throughout their larval phases, we predict that larvae achieving high swimming velocities across temperatures will have a selective advantage over more thermally sensitive individuals. Results Nonzero selection differentials indicated that predators selected for prey body size and both absolute and size-corrected maximum swimming velocity. Comparison of selection differentials with control confirmed selection only on body size, i.e., dragonfly larvae preferably preyed on small newt larvae. Maximum swimming velocity and its thermal sensitivity showed low group repeatability, which contributed to non-detectable selection on both characteristics of escape performance. Conclusions In the newt-dragonfly larvae interaction, body size plays a more important role than maximum values and thermal sensitivity of swimming velocity during predator escape. This corroborates the general importance of body size in predator–prey interactions. The absence of an appropriate control in predation experiments may lead to potentially misleading conclusions about the primary target of predator-imposed selection. Insights from predation experiments contribute to our understanding of the link between performance and fitness, and further improve mechanistic models of predator–prey interactions and food web dynamics. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0522-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumír Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology AS CR, Květná 8, CZ 60365, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Radovan Smolinský
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology AS CR, Květná 8, CZ 60365, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Johnson JB, Saenz D, Adams CK, Hibbitts TJ. Naturally occurring variation in tadpole morphology and performance linked to predator regime. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:2991-3002. [PMID: 26357533 PMCID: PMC4559044 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 01/11/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergent natural selection drives a considerable amount of the phenotypic and genetic variation observed in natural populations. For example, variation in the predator community can generate conflicting selection on behavioral, life-history, morphological, and performance traits. Differences in predator regime can subsequently increase phenotypic and genetic variations in the population and result in the evolution of reproductive barriers (ecological speciation) or phenotypic plasticity. We evaluated morphology and swimming performance in field collected Bronze Frog larvae (Lithobates clamitans) in ponds dominated by predatory fish and those dominated by invertebrate predators. Based on previous experimental findings, we hypothesized that tadpoles from fish-dominated ponds would have small bodies, long tails, and large tail muscles and that these features would facilitate fast-start speed. We also expected to see increased tail fin depth (i.e., the tail-lure morphology) in tadpoles from invertebrate-dominated ponds. Our results support our expectations with respect to morphology in affecting swimming performance of tadpoles in fish-dominated ponds. Furthermore, it is likely that divergent natural selection is playing a role in the diversification on morphology and locomotor performance in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Johnson
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, 77843
| | - Daniel Saenz
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station Nacogdoches, Texas, 75965
| | - Cory K Adams
- USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station Nacogdoches, Texas, 75965
| | - Toby J Hibbitts
- Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, 77843
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17
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Matsunami M, Kitano J, Kishida O, Michimae H, Miura T, Nishimura K. Transcriptome analysis of predator- and prey-induced phenotypic plasticity in the Hokkaido salamander (Hynobius retardatus). Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3064-76. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Matsunami
- Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences; Hokkaido University; Hakodate 041-8611 Japan
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics; Graduate School of Environmental Science; Hokkaido University; Sapporo 060-0810 Japan
| | - Jun Kitano
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory; National Institute of Genetics; Mishima 411-8540 Japan
| | - Osamu Kishida
- Teshio Experimental Forest; Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere; Hokkaido University; Toikanbetsu Horonobe 098-2943 Japan
| | - Hirofumi Michimae
- School of Pharmacy; Department of Clinical Medicine (Biostatistics); Kitasato University; Tokyo 108-8641 Japan
| | - Toru Miura
- Laboratory of Ecological Genetics; Graduate School of Environmental Science; Hokkaido University; Sapporo 060-0810 Japan
| | - Kinya Nishimura
- Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences; Hokkaido University; Hakodate 041-8611 Japan
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Segev O, Polevikove A, Blank L, Goedbloed D, Küpfer E, Gershberg A, Koplovich A, Blaustein L. Effects of Tail Clipping on Larval Performance and Tail Regeneration Rates in the Near Eastern Fire Salamander, Salamandra infraimmaculata. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128077. [PMID: 26065683 PMCID: PMC4466261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tail-tip clipping is a common technique for collecting tissue samples from amphibian larvae and adults. Surprisingly, studies of this invasive sampling procedure or of natural tail clipping--i.e., bites inflicted by predators including conspecifics--on the performance and fitness of aquatic larval stages of urodeles are scarce. We conducted two studies in which we assessed the effects of posterior tail clipping (~30 percent of tail) on Near Eastern fire salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata) larvae. In a laboratory study, we checked regeneration rates of posterior tail-tip clipping at different ages. Regeneration rates were hump-shaped, peaking at the age of ~30 days and then decreasing. This variation in tail regeneration rates suggests tradeoffs in resource allocation between regeneration and somatic growth during early and advanced development. In an outdoor artificial pond experiment, under constant larval densities, we assessed how tail clipping of newborn larvae affects survival to, time to, and size at metamorphosis. Repeated measures ANOVA on mean larval survival per pond revealed no effect of tail clipping. Tail clipping had correspondingly no effect on larval growth and development expressed in size (mass and snout-vent length) at, and time to, metamorphosis. We conclude that despite the given variation in tail regeneration rates throughout larval ontogeny, clipping of 30% percent of the posterior tail area seems to have no adverse effects on larval fitness and survival. We suggest that future use of this imperative tool for the study of amphibian should take into account larval developmental stage during the time of application and not just the relative size of the clipped tail sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ori Segev
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Antonina Polevikove
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Lior Blank
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
- Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Daniel Goedbloed
- Technical University of Braunschweig, Zoological Institute, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany
| | - Eliane Küpfer
- Technical University of Braunschweig, Zoological Institute, Braunschweig, 38106, Germany
| | - Anna Gershberg
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Avi Koplovich
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Leon Blaustein
- Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
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Escoriza D, Ben Hassine J. Phenotypic variability in larvae of two species of Mediterranean spadefoot toad: an approach using linear and geometric morphometrics. AFR J HERPETOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2014.948079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Ding GH, Lin ZH, Zhao LH, Fan XL, Wei L. Effects of light intensity on activity in four sympatric anuran tadpoles. DONG WU XUE YAN JIU = ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2014; 35:332-7. [PMID: 25017754 PMCID: PMC5031682 DOI: 10.13918/j.issn.2095-8137.2014.4.332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Though light conditions are known to affect the development and anti-predation strategies of several aquatic species, relatively little is known about how different species react to light, or how light can affect these species during different points in their life-cycle. In this study, we used four sympatric anuran tadpoles (Bufo gargarizans, B. melanostictus, Pelophylax nigromaculatus and Microhyla fissipes) as animal system to examine species-specific activities of the underdoing different light intensity treatments, so as to better understand how they respond to light. We exposed four different species of tadpoles to 1660 and 14 lux light intensity treatments and then measured several parameters including development stage, body length and tail length, and as well as their basic activities. The results of this observation and analysis showed that the activities of tadpoles were significantly greater in B. gargarizans and B. melanostictus than in P. nigromaculatus and M. fissipes; and were also significantly greater during times of high light intensity as compared to during low light intensity. Moreover, the observed relationship between species and light intensity was significant. The activities of B. gargarizans and B. melanostictus tadpoles were greater in high light, while the activity of P. nigromaculatus tadpoles was greater in low light intensity, while M. fissipes tadpoles showed no differences in either low or high intensity light. Furthermore, the activities of B. gargarizans, B. melanostictus and M. fissipes tadpoles in terms of developmental stage, body size or tail length did not seem to differ with light intensity, but during early larval developmental period of P. nigromaculatus, the activity of tadpoles was negatively correlated with development stage, but irrelevant to either body size or tail length in different light intensities. These results lead us to conclude the observed activities of the four sympatric anuran tadpoles are closely correlated with their specific anti-predation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Hua Ding
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui Zhejiang 323000, China.
| | - Zhi-Hua Lin
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui Zhejiang 323000, China.
| | - Li-Hua Zhao
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Xiao-Li Fan
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Li Wei
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui Zhejiang 323000, China
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Katzenberger M, Hammond J, Duarte H, Tejedo M, Calabuig C, Relyea RA. Swimming with predators and pesticides: how environmental stressors affect the thermal physiology of tadpoles. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98265. [PMID: 24869960 PMCID: PMC4037208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
To forecast biological responses to changing environments, we need to understand how a species's physiology varies through space and time and assess how changes in physiological function due to environmental changes may interact with phenotypic changes caused by other types of environmental variation. Amphibian larvae are well known for expressing environmentally induced phenotypes, but relatively little is known about how these responses might interact with changing temperatures and their thermal physiology. To address this question, we studied the thermal physiology of grey treefrog tadpoles (Hyla versicolor) by determining whether exposures to predator cues and an herbicide (Roundup) can alter their critical maximum temperature (CTmax) and their swimming speed across a range of temperatures, which provides estimates of optimal temperature (Topt) for swimming speed and the shape of the thermal performance curve (TPC). We discovered that predator cues induced a 0.4°C higher CTmax value, whereas the herbicide had no effect. Tadpoles exposed to predator cues or the herbicide swam faster than control tadpoles and the increase in burst speed was higher near Topt. In regard to the shape of the TPC, exposure to predator cues increased Topt by 1.5°C, while exposure to the herbicide marginally lowered Topt by 0.4°C. Combining predator cues and the herbicide produced an intermediate Topt that was 0.5°C higher than the control. To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate a predator altering the thermal physiology of amphibian larvae (prey) by increasing CTmax, increasing the optimum temperature, and producing changes in the thermal performance curves. Furthermore, these plastic responses of CTmax and TPC to different inducing environments should be considered when forecasting biological responses to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Katzenberger
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station - Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Sevilla, Spain
| | - John Hammond
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Helder Duarte
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station - Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Miguel Tejedo
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station - Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cecilia Calabuig
- Department of Animal Sciences, Federal Rural University of the Semiarid Region, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Rick A. Relyea
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Arrighi JM, Lencer ES, Jukar A, Park D, Phillips PC, Kaplan RH. Daily temperature fluctuations unpredictably influence developmental rate and morphology at a critical early larval stage in a frog. BMC Ecol 2013; 13:18. [PMID: 23641898 PMCID: PMC3653820 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-13-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Environmental temperature has profound consequences for early amphibian development and many field and laboratory studies have examined this. Most laboratory studies that have characterized the influence of temperature on development in amphibians have failed to incorporate the realities of diel temperature fluctuations (DTF), which can be considerable for pond-breeding amphibians. Results We evaluated the effects of different ecologically relevant ranges of DTF compared with effects of constant temperatures on development of embryos and larvae of the Korean fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis). We constructed thermal reaction norms for developmental stage, snout- vent length, and tail length by fitting a Gompertz-Gaussian function to measurements taken from embryos after 66 hours of development in 12 different constant temperature environments between 14°C and 36°C. We used these reaction norms as null models to test the hypothesis that developmental effects of DTF are more than the sum of average constant temperature effects over the distribution of temperatures experienced. We predicted from these models that growth and differentiation would be positively correlated with average temperature at low levels of DTF but not at higher levels of DTF. We tested our prediction in the laboratory by rearing B. orientalis embryos at three average temperatures (20°C, 24°C, and 28°C) and four levels of thermal variation (0°C, 6°C, 13°C, and 20°C). Several of the observed responses to DTF were significantly different from both predictions of the model and from responses in constant temperature treatments at the same average temperatures. At an average temperature of 24°C, only the highest level of DTF affected differentiation and growth rates, but at both cooler and warmer average temperatures, moderate DTF was enough to slow developmental and tail growth rates. Conclusions These results demonstrate that both the magnitude of DTF range and thermal averages need to be considered simultaneously when parsing the effects of changing thermal environments on complex developmental responses, particularly when they have potential functional and adaptive significance.
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El Balaa R, Blouin-Demers G. Does exposure to cues of fish predators fed different diets affect morphology and performance of Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens) larvae? CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2012-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to change their morphological and life-history traits when exposed to predator cues, which modifies performance and can enhance survival but engender costs. Thus, the extent of plastic changes should vary in relation to the perceived risk of predation. We tested the hypothesis that plastic changes in morphology (and their effect on performance) and life history of developing Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens (Schreber, 1782)) larvae vary when exposed to cues of fish predators fed different diets. During development, we exposed tadpoles to control cues, cues from brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur, 1819)) fed trout pellets, or cues from A. nebulosus fed L. pipiens tadpoles. Tadpoles exposed to predatory fish cues had smaller bodies, deeper tail fins, slower growth and development rates, and better turning performance than tadpoles that were not exposed to predatory fish cues, but we found limited evidence that the predator’s diet had an effect on phenotypic plasticity. Predator diet affected tail morphology and activity, but the latter effect was only marginally significant. Lithobates pipiens tadpoles clearly respond to predatory fish cues, but it remains unclear whether their response is modulated by the predator’s diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayan El Balaa
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Gabriel Blouin-Demers
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
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Eads AR, Mitchell NJ, Evans JP. PATTERNS OF GENETIC VARIATION IN DESICCATION TOLERANCE IN EMBRYOS OF THE TERRESTRIAL-BREEDING FROG, PSEUDOPHRYNE GUENTHERI. Evolution 2012; 66:2865-77. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01616.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
Animal aggregations are widespread in nature and can exhibit complex emergent properties not found at an individual level. We investigate one such example here, collective vortex formation by congeneric spadefoot toad tadpoles: Spea bombifrons and S. multiplicata. Tadpoles of these species develop into either an omnivorous or a carnivorous (cannibalistic) morph depending on diet. Previous studies show S. multiplicata are more likely to develop into omnivores and feed on suspended organic matter in the water body. The omnivorous morph is frequently social, forming aggregates that move and forage together, and form vortices in which they adopt a distinctive slowly-rotating circular formation. This behaviour has been speculated to act as a means to agitate the substratum in ponds and thus could be a collective foraging strategy. Here we perform a quantitative investigation of the behaviour of tadpoles within aggregates. We found that only S. multiplicata groups exhibited vortex formation, suggesting that social interactions differ between species. The probability of collectively forming a vortex, in response to introduced food particles, increased for higher tadpole densities and when tadpoles were hungry. Individuals inside a vortex moved faster and exhibited higher (by approximately 27%) tailbeat frequencies than those outside the vortex, thus incurring a personal energetic cost. The resulting environmental modification, however, suggests vortex behaviour may be an adaptation to actively create, and exploit, a resource patch within the environment.
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Haad B, Vera Candioti F, Baldo D. Shape variation in lentic and lotic tadpoles ofMelanophryniscus(Anura: Bufonidae). STUDIES ON NEOTROPICAL FAUNA AND ENVIRONMENT 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/01650521.2011.593124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Belén Haad
- a CONICET – Instituto de Herpetología, Fundación Miguel Lillo , San Miguel de Tucumán , Argentina
| | - Florencia Vera Candioti
- a CONICET – Instituto de Herpetología, Fundación Miguel Lillo , San Miguel de Tucumán , Argentina
| | - Diego Baldo
- a CONICET – Instituto de Herpetología, Fundación Miguel Lillo , San Miguel de Tucumán , Argentina
- b Laboratorio de Genética Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales , Universidad Nacional de Misiones , Posadas , Argentina
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