Table Of ContentReproduction of Amphibians
Biological Systems in Vertebrates
Series Editors
Hiran Dutta and Douglas Kline
Department of Biological Science
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio, USA
Books in this Series
J.N. Maina—Functional Morphology of the Vertebrate Respiratory Systems
Hans Ditrich—Renal Structure and Function in Vertebrates
Seth Kisia—Muscular System of Vertebrates
Maria Ogielska—Reproduction of Amphibians
Reproduction of
Amphibians
Editor
Maria Ogielska
Zoological Institute
University of Wroclaw
Poland
Science Publishers
Enfield (NH) Jersey Plymouth
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Published by Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, USA
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© 2009 reserved
ISBN 13: 978-1-57808-307-7 (hbk)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reproduction of amphibians/editor, Maria Ogielska.
p. cm. (Biological systems in vertebrates)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-57808-307-7 (hardcover)
1. Amphibians--Reproduction. I. Ogielska, Maria.
QL669.3.R47 2009
573.6'178--dc22
2009011134
Cover ill us trations
Developing ovary of the grass frog Rana temporaria.
Photograph provided by Renata Augustynska and Agnieszka Kotusz
and reproduced with their kind permission.
Illustration of female grass frog Rana temporaria.
Photograph courtesy of Maria Ogielska.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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the prior permission of the publisher, in writing. The exception to
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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way
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without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover
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including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This book is dedicated to my
Parents
Preface
This book is devoted to reproduction of amphibians (subclass:
Lissamphibia) belonging to three extant orders: caecilians (infraclass:
Gymnophiona, order: Apoda), salamanders (infraclass: Batrachia, super
order: Urodela, order: Caudata), and frogs and toads (superorder: Salientia,
order: Anura). The current number of amphibian species is more than 6,400.
Caecilians are represented by 176 species classified into 6 families;
salamanders are represented by more than 570 species classified into 10
families, and anurans are the most numerous group with almost 5,700
species classified into 34 families (www.amphibiaweb, Duellman, 2003;
Larson, 2003).
Caecilians, salamanders, and frogs differ not only in external morpho
logy, but also in reproductive modes. Caecilians are oviparous or vivi
parous. Viviparity is always connected with adaptations of oviducts and
other parts of the female reproductive system. Fertilization in caecilians is
internal and males are equipped with a special copulatory organ called
phallodeum.
Salamanders are mainly oviparous with external or internal ferti
lization. Male salamanders have no copulatory organs and internal
fertilization takes place when females actively collect sperm packages
(spermatophores) laid by males on the background on land or in water.
Females are able to store the sperm in special cloacal pockets (sperma-
thecae). Larviparity and viviparity in salamanders are very rare and known
only in a few species. Urodela are exceptional among vertebrates in respect
of neoteny. This phenomenon is characteristic of some species or entire
families and consists of sexual maturity of permanent larvae that do not
complete metamorphosis.
Anurans are the best known group of amphibians. Fertilization is
external, with exception of vivparous species and two species of the tailed-
frogs. Reproduction of frogs and toads is very diverse and classified into
several modes including terrestrial, arboreal, and aqueous eggs, parental
care performed by males or females, foam nests, and viviparity. This topic,
viii
however, was described elsewhere (Duellman and Trueb, 1986; Duellman,
2003) and is not covered by our book.
We focused on anatomy and histology of reproductive systems, as well
as cytology and molecular mechanisms that regulate gametogenesis. The
content of the volume is divided into eight chapters describing various
aspects of amphibian reproduction. Chapter 1 is devoted to the origin of
somatic and germ cells during formation of gonads at larval stages and
juvenile period. Chapters 2,3, and 4 cover male reproduction system, testis
development and structure, urogenital connections and reproductive tract,
spermatogenesis, and regulation of reproductive cycle in caecilians,
salamanders, and anurans. The same schedule was applied to chapters 5,
6, and 7 that are devoted to females. Chapter 8 deals with early embryonic
and postembryonic development, direct development, and neoteny; special
attention, however, has been paid to modifications of gametogenesis and
meiosis in hybrids and polyploids (hybridogenesis and gynogenesis).
The final shape of this volume is a result of a good cooperation between
the authors, although it took a long time to finish the whole volume,
because all of us were really busy with teaching, administration, and
research at our home universities.
Jean-Marie Exbrayat from the Universite Catolique de Lyon, France,
presented valuable and original data on oogenesis and spermatogenesis
of caecilians that is the least known group of amphibians.
Mari Carmen Uribe Aranzabal from the Universidad Nacional
Autonoma de Mexico coverd the topic in salamanders. Jolanta Bartmanska
and I represent the University of Wroclaw, Poland; we contributed to the
largest portion of the volume devoted to frogs and toads that are the best
studied amphibians.
I am deeply grateful to the series editors, Doug Kline and Hiran Dutta,
for their encouragement and invaluable help in language correction,
because none of the authors is a native English speaker.
My former PhD students Agnieszka Kotusz, Renata Augustynska, and
Beata Rozenblut provided several beautiful photos of various aspects of
anuran ovaries and oogenesis. Special thanks are reserved for my former
PhD student and now my co-worker Piotr Kierzkowski, who arranged the
photos and created all line drawings and schemes that illustrate the texts
of mine and Jolanta Bartmanska; he and Beata Rozenblut also corrected
figures provided by other authors.
Financial support of the University of Wroclaw, Zoological Institute
(DS 1018) has facilitated the preparation of the volume.
IX
References
Larson A, Weisrock DW, Kozak KH. 2003. Phylogenetic systematics of
salamanders (Amphibia: Urodela), a review. [In]: Reproductive Biology and
Phylogeny of Urodela. Ed DM Sever. Science Publishers, Inc. 2003. pp. 31-
108.
Duellman WE. 2003. An overview of anuran phylogeny, classification and
reproductive modes. [In]: Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Anura.
Ed BGM Jamieson, Science Publishers, Inc. 2003. pp. 1-18.
Duellman WE, Trueb L. 1986. Biology of Amphibians. McGraw-Hill Book
Company, USA. pp. 670.
Maria Ogielska
Wroclaw, January 2009
