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Type: Articles
Published: 2012-10-09
Page range: 65–76
Abstract views: 101
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Larval morphology and ontogeny of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis Biju & Bossuyt, 2003 (Anura, Nasikabatrachidae) from Western Ghats, India

Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box No.18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248 001, Uttrakand, India
Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box No.18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248 001, Uttrakand, India
Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box No.18, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248 001, Uttrakand, India
Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Hyderabad- 500 007, Andhra Pradesh, India
Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Hyderabad- 500 007, Andhra Pradesh, India
Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Hyderabad- 500 007, Andhra Pradesh, India
Department of Zoology, North Orissa University, Takatpur, Baripada- 757003, Orissa, India
Amphibia Rheophilous tadpoles Western Ghats developmental stages Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

The external, oral and buccopharyngeal morphologies of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis tadpoles were studied using ste-reoscopic and scanning electron microscopy. Using DNA barcodes, taxonomic identity of the tadpoles was establishedand tadoples of N. sahyadrensis were reared in semi-natural conditions. Development in the species from hatching tometamorph was prolonged and it took about 100 days for the freshly hatched larvae to metamorphose. The tadpoles areexotrophic, torrent dwelling with a large ventral suctorial oral disc, broadly rounded snout, cylindrical body, and a funnelshaped vent tube opening medially. During development external and buccopharyngeal characters show extensive changes. During metamorphosis developmental asynchrony was observed.

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