Description of the tadpole of Alsodes neuquensis Cei, 1976 and comparison with the sibling species A. gargola Gallardo, 1970 (Amphibia, Anura, Alsodidae)

Author(s)

Barrasso, Diego A. ^[1] ; Alcalde, Leandro ^[2] ; Blotto, Boris L. ^{[3, 4]} ; Basso, Nestor G. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Diversidad & Evoluc Austral IDEAus CONICET, Blvd Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut - Argentina

^[2] Inst Limnol Dr RA Ringuelet, 120 & 62 S-N, RA-1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires - Argentina

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Zool, Inst Biociencias, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, Div Herpetol, Museo Argentino Ciencias Nat Bernardino Rivadavia, Angel Gallardo 470, C1405DIR, RA-1033 Buenos Aires, DF - Argentina

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL; v. 26, n. 1, p. 21-31, JAN 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

This paper describes the external and buccal cavity morphology, chondrocranium, hyobranchial apparatus and cranial muscles of Alsodes neuquensis in comparison with the sibling species A. gargola. The tadpole of A. neuquensis presents a shorter and higher tail, and a relatively smaller oral disc than A. gargola. The external larval morphology of Alsodes may be characterised as follows: (i) tooth row formula 2(2)/3(1), (ii) single row of marginal papillae with a wide rostra] gap, (Hi) single row of submarginal papillae in the mental region, (iv) both supra- and infraangular submarginal papillae present. The buccal features do not show marked intrageneric differences. The anterior and/or posterior pair of infralabial papillae may be simple or forked. All known tadpoles present one prenarial papilla accompanied or not by few pustules, and the lateral ridges of floor can be three to penta-armed. The chondrocranial features shared by the species of the genus Alsodes are (i) tetrapartite cartilage suprarostralis, (ii) chondrified adrostral tissue mass, (iii) processus anterolateralis of the larval crista parotica well developed or larval processus oticus, and (iv) large processus pseudopterygoideus that may be either completely fused to the basi cranii (A. vanzolinii, A. verrucosus and some A. neuquensis) or fused only at the tip (A. barrioi, A. gargola and some A. neuquensis). Larval cranial muscles are for the first time described for the genus Alsodes. They do not show differences between both species studied herein. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/10000-5 - A multi-disciplinary approach to the study of amphibian diversification
• Grantee: Taran Grant
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/20423-3 - Relationships among major clades of Hyloidea (Anura: Neobatrachia): one of the main unresolved problems of the phylogeny of Anura
• Grantee: Boris Leonardo Blotto Acuña
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral