Internal oral morphology of tadpoles of Dermatonotus muelleri and Elachistocteis bicolor
The internal oral morphology of tadpoles of Dermatonotus muelleri and Elachistocleis bicolor were analyzed using scanning electron and stereoscopic microscopy. Similarities between these larvae include the architecture of the buccal roof and floor: wide and almost flattened surfaces; unperforated in...
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| Autores principales: | , |
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| Formato: | JOUR |
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| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00221511_v34_n4_p517_Echeverria |
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| Sumario: | The internal oral morphology of tadpoles of Dermatonotus muelleri and Elachistocleis bicolor were analyzed using scanning electron and stereoscopic microscopy. Similarities between these larvae include the architecture of the buccal roof and floor: wide and almost flattened surfaces; unperforated internal nares appearing as circular depressions; absence of infralabial and lingual papillae; presence of massive, triangular postnarial papillae; and absence of other papillae posterior to the median ridge. Differences include a raised glottis placed in the center of the buccal floor arena in D. muelleri, and the number of the lateral papillae positioned at each side of the prenarial arena. We suggest that the oral flaps and the roof papillae play a significant role in the capture of food particles by establishing the inflow of "alimentary water", and aggregating food particles and mucus inside the buccopharyngeal cavity. Microhylid tadpoles have a stable pattern of body size and shape, and oral and buccopharyngeal features, which may reflect ecological and functional constraints relative to the morphology of other suspension feeding anuran larvae. |
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