4/2/2023 0 Comments Gord downie health update![]() ![]() This is evidenced by the fact that the changed shapes did not converge. Additionally, the predators or competitors who caused such a response play a part in the variation of shape of not only the tadpole, but also the juvenile frogs after metamorphosis. For example, the loss of tail tissue in tadpoles can lead to smaller frogs after their metamorphosis. A plastic response can be induced and combined at multiple ontogenetic stages of development in addition, it can also result in either a temporary or lasting effect. Phenotypic plasticity does not occur within only one stage of the life cycle. The deepened tail fin provides a lure effect, thereby increasing the survival rate of tadpoles against predators. Morphological changes in the tail may vary depending on the species or hunting strategy of the predator. The change in the tail fin in response to predators occurs through the mediation of the glucocorticoid hormone, corticosterone. Tadpoles that are exposed to predators have been found to possess deeper tail fins. A phenomenon that is representative of such phenotypic plasticity in anurans is the change in tail shape of tadpoles who are exposed to predators. Among the many animal groups, anurans especially exhibit an adaptive plasticity via their response to various types of habitats and their complex life histories. Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to produce a suitable phenotype in response to the environmental variability that is present in their habitats furthermore, such a response can influence the survival or reproduction of a species. On the other hand, delayed metamorphosis, without an increase in body size, may still be disadvantageous to the reproduction, growth, and survival of frogs in their life history following metamorphosis. Therefore, we support the view that these morphological changes are thus by-products of an altered tadpole period, rather than an adaptive response to predator-escape ability or to post-metamorphosis life history. Our results showed that the changes in anatomical traits that can affect locomotor performance are so subtle that they do not affect the jumping or swimming speeds. These juvenile frogs possessed longer limbs and narrower skulls, with subtle morphological changes in the pelvis and ilium, but there was no subsequent difference in their swimming and jumping speeds. Having said this, however, the effect of predator cues on the body length and weight of juvenile frogs was not found to be significant. Tadpoles that had grown with predators possessed smaller bodies, deeper tail fins, and slower development rates, and they waited longer periods of time before commencing metamorphosis. Furthermore, the locomotory performance of the juvenile frogs was tested by measuring their jumping and swimming speeds. ![]() The body and tail shapes of the tadpoles, as well as the skeletal shape of the juvenile frogs, were analyzed using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Body length, weight, development timing, and metamorphosis timing in the presence of dragonfly nymphs were measured in both tadpoles and juvenile frogs. The experiments on predator impact were conducted in the laboratory. We investigated the effects of predation pressure (i.e., the non-consumption effect) from the dragonfly larva ( Anax parthenope) on the phenotypical change of tadpoles into juvenile frogs (specifically the black-spotted pond frog, Pelophylax nigromaculatus), and also analyzed the impact of morphological changes on locomotory performance after metamorphosis. Anuran species can respond to environmental changes via phenotypic plasticity, which can also result in ecological impacts across the life history of such species. ![]()
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