Gigantism in tadpoles of the Neogene frog Palaeobatrachus

0051239 - GLÚ 2007 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Roček, Zbyněk - Böttcher, R. - Wassersug, R.
Gigantism in tadpoles of the Neogene frog Palaeobatrachus.
[Gigantism in tadpoles of the Neogene frog Palaeobatrachus.]
Paleobiology. Roč. 32, č. 4 (2006), s. 666-675. ISSN 0094-8373. E-ISSN 1938-5331
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA3013206
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516
Keywords : Amphibia * Anura * Neogene * Germany * development
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology
Impact factor: 2.405, year: 2006

We describe three giant palaeobatrachid fossil tadpoles of the genus Palaeobatrachus from the Miocene of Randecker Maar, Germany. The largest was 150 mm at the beginning of metamorphosis (stage 60), whereas the smallest was 100 mm and approaching the end of metamorphosis (stage 64). In contrast, normal palaeobatrachid tadpoles and their pipid relatives, both extinct and extant, rarely exceed 60 mm in length. We review here both ecological and pathological conditions that are conducive to the development of gigantism in tadpoles. Tadpoles that lack a thyroid gland become exceptionally large and arrest development at early hindlimb stages (NF stages 53–56). However, the advanced metamorphic stages of the giant Palaeobatrachus tadpoles indicate that they were able to metamorphose, and thus were not athyroid. Environmental factors—pond size and permanence, predators, duration of the growing season— may all contribute to tadpole gigantism in certain extant anuran species.

Popis gigantických pulců žab čeledi Palaeobatrachidae z miocénu německé lokality Randecker Maar a možné příčiny jejich hypetrofie.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0141154