Frogs without polliwogs: evolution of anuran direct development.
Bioessays
; 23(3): 233-41, 2001 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11223880
ABSTRACT
Direct development is the assumption of the adult morphology without progression through an intervening, morphologically distinct, free-living larval phase. We discuss the ecological factors contributing to the evolution of this derived life-history strategy in frogs, and the developmental modifications that facilitate such an unusual mode of embryogenesis. Studies on the Puerto Rican tree frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui, have identified several such modifications, including developmental adaptations for dealing with increased egg size, and loss of tadpole structures. Surprisingly, this direct developer still undergoes a thyroid hormone-dependent metamorphosis, which occurs before hatching. We suggest how the ancestral biphasic developmental pattern may have been rearranged during the evolution of direct development.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Anuros
/
Evolução Biológica
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Bioessays
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA
/
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Ano de publicação:
2001
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos