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Morphology of the prometamorphic larva of the spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus intermontanus (Anura: Pelobatidae), with an emphasis on the lateral line system and mouthparts
Author(s) -
Hall John A.,
Larsen John H.,
Fitzner Richard E.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1094
Subject(s) - biology , arthropod mouthparts , larva , generalist and specialist species , guild , zoology , herbivore , toad , foraging , ecology , amphibian , ecomorphology , aquatic insect , habitat
We provide a detailed description of the larval morphology of the Great Basin spadefoot toad ( Scaphiopus intermontanus ), a species with documented morphological variability in larval structures associated with feeding. We based our findings on laboratory‐raised individuals fed a herbivorous diet. We characterized the morphology of the prometamorphic larva (limited to developmental stages 37 and 38) and then related our findings to the larval ecology of the species. Based on its morphology, such as slightly depressed body, dorsally positioned eyes, anteroventrally oriented oral disc, intermediate tail fin height and slightly attenuated tail tip, relative lack of ventral neuromasts (compared to Xenopus laevis ), and pigmentation banding patterns, and habits, such as selection of breeding sites by adults and larval foraging behavior, S. intermontanus can be characterized best as belonging to a (lentic‐) benthic guild of anuran larvae. Nevertheless, the larvae are capable of occupying a broader array of ecological niches. Because we characterized individuals raised on a herbivorous diet, our morphological descriptions apply only to the herbivorous S. intermontanus larva (and perhaps to those larvae that are dietary generalists and may feed carnivorously only infrequently). Our findings can serve as a baseline for future morphological and developmental comparisons with the carnivorous morphological variant of this species. J. Morphol. 252:114–130, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.