Larval Anatomy of Andean Toads of the Rhinella spinulosa Group (Ahura: Bufonidae)

Author(s)

Vera Candioti, Florencia ^[1] ; Grosso, Jimena ^[1] ; Pereyra, Martin O. ^{[2, 3]} ; Haad, M. Belen ^[1] ; Lescano, Julian ^[4] ; Siu-Ting, Karen ^{[5, 6]} ; Aguilar, Cesar ^[6] ; Baldo, Diego ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Unidad Ejecutora Lillo CONICET FML, RA-4000 San Miguel De Tucuman, Tucuman - Argentina

^[2] Museo Argentino Ciencias Nat Bernardino Rivadavia, C1405 DJR, Buenos Aires - Argentina

^[3] Univ Nacl Misiones, Fac Ciencias Exactas, Inst Biol Subtrop CONICET UNaM, Lab Genet Evolut Claudio Juan Bidau, RA-3300 Posadas - Argentina

^[4] Univ Nacl Cordoba, Fac Ciencias Exactas Fis & Nat, Ctr Zool Aplicada CONICET, RA-5000 Cordoba - Argentina

^[5] Queens Univ Belfast, Sch Biol Sci, Inst Global Food Secur, Belfast BT9 5DL, Antrim - North Ireland

^[6] Univ Nacl Mayor San Marcos, Dept Herpetol, Museo Hist Nat, Lima 15072 - Peru

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS; v. 34, p. 116-130, DEC 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The Rhinella spinulosa group is a Glade of toads that inhabit the Andes mountains from northern Ecuador to Patagonia. Its taxonomy was recently revised, and in its new arrangement comprises nine species, including Rhinella gallardoi, traditionally placed in a different intrageneric group. In this work we studied the larval external and internal morphology in this group, by describing for the first time tadpoles of R. achalensis, R. gallardoi, and R. vellardi, and then summarizing morphological data for R altiperuviana, R limensis, R. papillosa, R. spinulosa, and R. trifolium. Although we found no diagnostic larval features for the whole Glade, two distinct morphs were identified. Most tadpoles were highlypigmented and slender, and their oral discs showed a long gap in the second labial tooth row; conversely, tadpoles of R. limensis and R. vellardi shared a globose body and a very short gap. Buccal and musculoskeletal features were highly conserved within the group and regarding other Rhinella, and included four lingual papillae, nonkeratinized spurs, tripartite suprarostral cartilages, quadrato-orbital commissure, and in musculature, m. subarcualis rectus II-IV invading the branchial septum III and laryngeal muscles reduced or absent. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/50741-7 - Diversity and conservation of Brazilian amphibians
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/15425-0 - A multi-disciplinary approach to the study of amphibian diversification: phase 2
• Grantee: Taran Grant
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2