The potential for ornament evolution in response to sexual selection rests on the interaction between the permissive- ness or selectivity of female preferences and the constraints on male development of signaling rela...The potential for ornament evolution in response to sexual selection rests on the interaction between the permissive- ness or selectivity of female preferences and the constraints on male development of signaling related traits. We investigate the former by determining how latent female preferences either exaggerate the magnitude of current traits （i.e. elaborations） or favor novel traits （i.e. innovations）. In tt^ngara frogs, females prefer complex mating calls （whine-chucks） to simple calls （whine only）. The whine is critical for mate recognition while the chuck further enhances the attractiveness of the call. Here we use a combina- tion of synthetic and natural stimuli to examine latent female preferences. Our results show that a diversity of stimuli, including conspecific and heterospecific calls as well as predator-produced and human-made sounds, increase the attractiveness of a call when added to a whine. These stimuli do not make simple calls more attractive than a whine-chuck, however. In rare cases we found stimuli that added to the whine decrease the attractiveness of the call. Overall, females show strong preferences for both elaborations and innovations of the chuck. We argue that the emancipation of these acoustic adornments from mate recognition allows such female permissiveness, and that male constraints on signal evolution are probably more important in explaining why males evolved their specific adornment. Experimentally probing latent female preferences for stimuli out of the species＇ range is a useful means to gain insights about the potential of female choice to influence signal evolution and thus the astounding diversity in male sexually-selected traits [Current Zoology 56 （3）： 343-357, 2010].展开更多
Dechlorane Plus （DP）,a flame retardant used as an alternative to decabromodiphenylether, has been frequently detected in organisms, indicating its bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in aquatic and terres...Dechlorane Plus （DP）,a flame retardant used as an alternative to decabromodiphenylether, has been frequently detected in organisms, indicating its bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in aquatic and terrestrial species. However, little data is available on the bioaccumulation of DP in amphibians. Dechlorane Plus and its analogs （DPs） were detected in the liver, muscle and brain tissues of wild frogs （Rana limnocharis）, which were collected from an e-waste recycling site, Southeast China. DP, Mirex, Dec 602 and a dechlorinated compound of DP （anti-Cll I-DP） varied in the range of 2.01-291, 0.650-179, 0.260-12.4, and not detected （nd）-8.67 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. No difference of tissue distribution was found for syn-DP, Mirex and Dec 602 between the liver and muscle tissue （liver/muscle concentration ratio close to 1, p 〉 0.05）. However, higher retention was observed for anti-DP and anti-Cll1-DP in the frog muscle relative to the liver tissue （liver/muscle concentration ratio 〈 1, p 〈 0.05）. Additionally, the blood-brain barrier was found to work efficiently to suppress these compounds entering brain tissues in this species （liver/brain concentration ratio 〉 l, p 〈 0.05）, and the molecular weight was a key factor impacting the extent of the blood-brain barrier. Compared to levels in the muscle and brain tissue, a preferential enrichment of syn-DP was observed in the liver tissue, suggesting the occurrence of stereo-selective bioaccumulation in the wild frog.展开更多
Diverse a nimal species use multimodal communica tion signals to coordina te reproductive behavior.Despite active research in this field,the brain mechanisms underlying multimodal communication remain poorly understoo...Diverse a nimal species use multimodal communica tion signals to coordina te reproductive behavior.Despite active research in this field,the brain mechanisms underlying multimodal communication remain poorly understood.Similar to humans and many mammalian species,anurans often produce auditory signals accompanied by conspicuous visual cues(e.g.,vocal sac inflation).In this study,we used video playbacks to determine the role of vocal-sac inflation in little torrent frogs(Amolops torrentis).Then we exposed females to blank,visual,auditory,and audiovisual stimuli and analyzed whole brain tissue gene expression changes using RNAseq.The results showed that both auditory cues(i.e.,male advertisement calls)and visual cues were attractive to female frogs,although auditory cues were more attractive than visual cues.Females preferred simultaneous bimodal cues to unimodal cues.The hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed genes showed a close relationship between neurogenomic states and momentarily expressed sexual signals.We also found that the Gene Ontology terms and KEGG pathways involved in energy metabolism were mostly increased in blank contrast versus visual,acoustic,or audiovisual stimuli,indicating that brain energy use may play an important role in response to these stimuli.In sum,behavioral and neurogenomic responses to acoustic and visual cues are correlated in female little torrent frogs.展开更多
Variation in age structure and body size benefits are identified to understand the evolution of life history.Here,we estimated the age structure and body size of two species of odorous frogs(Odorrana margaretae and Od...Variation in age structure and body size benefits are identified to understand the evolution of life history.Here,we estimated the age structure and body size of two species of odorous frogs(Odorrana margaretae and Odorrana grahami)by using skeletochronology.The ages at sexual maturity of O.grahami and O.margaretae in both sexes were 1 and 2 years,respectively.For both sexes,the maximum age observed in O.margaretae was six years.For O.grahami,the maximum age observed in males and females were 4 and 5 years,respectively.Males and females did not differ in mean age in the two species.The average body size of both species considerably differed between sexes,with females being larger than males.The body size of females was also larger than that of males when the effect of age was removed.We also found positive correlations between body size and age within each sex in O.margaretae,but only for female in O.grahami.The female-biased sexual size dimorphism of the two species suggested that fecundity selection for larger female size may increase the reproductive output.展开更多
A frog(蛙) is a kind of amphibians(两栖动物). Frogs live both in land(陆地) and in water. They try their best to find and eat off(吃掉) a lot of insects(昆虫) every day. The farmers always praise(称赞) them, "Fro...A frog(蛙) is a kind of amphibians(两栖动物). Frogs live both in land(陆地) and in water. They try their best to find and eat off(吃掉) a lot of insects(昆虫) every day. The farmers always praise(称赞) them, "Frogs are protectors(保护者) of crops(庄稼)." In the cold weather, frogs have to hibernate(冬眠) under the mud(软泥), the root(根) of a tree or a place in a hole(洞). When it gets warmer, they will come to the fields again.展开更多
The current study aims to investigate the population variation and food habits of ranid frogs in the rice-based cropping system in District Gujranwala,Pakistan.The population in the study area was estimated using capt...The current study aims to investigate the population variation and food habits of ranid frogs in the rice-based cropping system in District Gujranwala,Pakistan.The population in the study area was estimated using capture,mark and release method whereas food habits of the species were studied by analysis of stomach contents.The results showed the highest average population was found during August 2009(93.10±18.64/ha) while the lowest from December 2008 to February 2009.Maximum seasonal populations existed in summer 2009,whereas winter 2008 sizes were at a minimum.Stomach content analysis of the species revealed percent frequency(% F) of occurrence of insects(80.3),earthworms(28.5),whole frogs(15.8),bone pieces(22.5),rodents(1.66),vegetation(5.0),soil particles(13.3) and some unidentified material(7.5) in all the stomach samples.Most frequently consumed prey items were insects(30% by volume),although frogs also preyed upon conspecifics and rodents.Insects recovered from the stomach contents were identified as belonging to Orthoptera,Lepidoptera,Coleoptera,Diptera,Odonata and Homoptera as well as the class Archnida.Insects recovered from the stomach contents were compared to those captured from the study area.展开更多
Male-male vocal competition is critical for mating success in anuran species;however,it remains unknown that how males regulate their competitive strategies dynamically during competition because calling is highly tim...Male-male vocal competition is critical for mating success in anuran species;however,it remains unknown that how males regulate their competitive strategies dynamically during competition because calling is highly time-consuming,energetically demanding and likely to increase predation risks.Since different parts of calls will encode different information for vocal communication,we hypothesized that competitive strategies of male frogs may be modulated by the temporal and spectral features of different call notes.To test this hypothesis,the natural advertisement calls(OC),its modified versions with the first call note replaced by white noise(WN)or other notes and with the fifth call note replaced by WN,were played back to the Anhui tree frogs(Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae).Results showed that 1)males produced more competitive calls in response to acoustic stimuli compared to their baseline calling during silence;and 2)males emitted more non-overlapping calls compared to overlapping calls in response to the acoustic stimuli.These results are consistent with the idea that males are flexible to acoustic signals and their competition strategies are modulated dynamically by social contexts.展开更多
In tungara frogs, female mate choice requires remembering the location and/or calls of preferred males who advertise from fixed positions within a breeding pond. A previous study found that, when solving a place discr...In tungara frogs, female mate choice requires remembering the location and/or calls of preferred males who advertise from fixed positions within a breeding pond. A previous study found that, when solving a place discrimination task in the laboratory, female tCingara frogs were able to learn a visual cue to solve the task, whereas males were not. In that task, male performance appeared to be inhibited, in part, by their attempt to use egocentric cues. We tested whether the sex difference in place learning previously reported would generalize to other training parameters with different cues available by eliminating the potential to use egocentric cues and increasing the number of trials per day. As before, frogs were given a choice between a red or yellow door, one of which led to shelters and return to their home cage. In the current testing conditions, we detected a preference for the red door;thus, we only considered frogs rewarded to the yellow door. Training was associated with an in crease in correct choices and an in creased preference for the yellow door. However, there was no evide nee for a sex d iff ere nee in learni ng. In summary, un der the curre nt training conditions, we fou nd that the appare nt female advantage in place learning was no Ion ger evide nt. Future studies that in vestigate sex d iff ere nces in cue pref ere nee and/or ability to switch among cues will further illuminate the conditions under which sex differences in learning are manifest in tungara frogs.展开更多
In anurans, calling behaviour is strongly seasonal and circadian. Previous studies have revealed that a uditory sensitivity in frogs exhibits seasonal plasticity, and electroencephalographic signals exhibit highly cor...In anurans, calling behaviour is strongly seasonal and circadian. Previous studies have revealed that a uditory sensitivity in frogs exhibits seasonal plasticity, and electroencephalographic signals exhibit highly correlated circadian patterns;of which, the circadian rhythm remains unknown. In this study,the circadian rhythm and intersexual differences of auditory sensitivity were tested in the Emei music frog(Nidirana daunchina). This was achieved by comparing thresholds and latencies of auditory brainstem responses(ABRs) evoked by tones and clicks stimuli between male and female frogs during the day and at night,respectively. Our results revealed that both auditory thresholds and latencies had no differences between day and night except the la tencies in 3.5–4.0 kHz frequencies. However, the thresholds of tone pip evoked ABRs differed significantly between male and female frogs from 2.5 to 5.0 kHz. This demonstrated that the auditory sensitivity of Emei music frogs exhibits sexual dimorphism at high frequencies, with female frogs exhibiting greater auditory sensitivity than that of male frogs. Simultaneously, the power spectra of male advertisement calls are matched well with the frequency range of auditory sensitivity in male and female frogs,which supports the matched filter hypothesis. Our study enhances the understanding of circadian plasticity and sexual dimorphism of auditory sensitivity in frogs.展开更多
In How to Read Lacan, noted cultural theorist, Slavoj Zizek, addresses a ＂comedic,＂ British, beer commercial to highlight an element of Lacanian psychoanalysis （i.e., obj et petit a）. Although his use of the comm...In How to Read Lacan, noted cultural theorist, Slavoj Zizek, addresses a ＂comedic,＂ British, beer commercial to highlight an element of Lacanian psychoanalysis （i.e., obj et petit a）. Although his use of the commercial serves his purpose, Zizek only dedicates one paragraph to it. This work significantly expands Zizek＇s initial interpretation by （1） contextualizing the commercial＇s plotline via comparison to other, similar mythological plots; （2） examining how the visual arrangement and narrative structure work to construct gender; and （3） addressing beauty via the Lacanian ＂demand＂ and ＂desires＂ made manifest within the text.展开更多
Roadkill has become a pivotal issue in the global decline of amphibian populations.Conventional research methods have typically relied on the examination of dried carcasses found long after wildlife-vehicle collisions...Roadkill has become a pivotal issue in the global decline of amphibian populations.Conventional research methods have typically relied on the examination of dried carcasses found long after wildlife-vehicle collisions, which influnce the accuracy of the taxonomic classification and assessment of roadkill rates. To overcome these limitations, we conducted a nocturnal survey on National Road G108in the Qinling Mountains immediately following a night rainstorm in July 2016. We employed molecular techniques to distinguish species that are morphologically identical but share overlapping habitats. Our investigation revealed that within five hours, 92 amphibians from five different species were documented across three 2-km road transects. Among these, 31 individuals were identified as roadkill,resulting in an overall rate of 33%, or roughly five fatalities per kilometer. Significantly, the mountain stream frogs Nanorana quadranus and N. taihangnica comprised 40.2% and 30.4% of the total individuals observed, with mortality rates of 35.1% and 25.0%,respectively. We found no significant variation in mortality rates between different age groups or genders for either species. Our research suggests that conducting surveys at night, immediately following summer rainstorms, is an efficient strategy for evaluating the impacts of roadkill. The post-rain foraging behaviors and the dispersal of juveniles are key factors contributing to road crossings outside of the breeding season. Consequently, this study recommends that traffic authorities in mountainous areas take measures to reduce vehicle traffic following summer rainstorms in order to minimize the threat to amphibian lives.展开更多
Objective: To determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in edible frogs (Rana spp.) sold at the Hanwa frog market, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 117 frogs (Rana spp.) were randomly collec...Objective: To determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in edible frogs (Rana spp.) sold at the Hanwa frog market, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 117 frogs (Rana spp.) were randomly collected based on consent and availability at the market. The intestinal contents from the frogs were examined by staining flotation and sedimentation smears with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique and microscopy of the oocysts. Results: Overall, 35.9% of frogs sampled from the Hanwa frog market were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. There were more Cryptosporidium oocysts detected by sedimentation test (28.2%) than flotation test (23.9%). There was no significant statistical association between sex of frogs and oocyst detection (χ2 = 0.5349, P > 0.05). Also, there was no correlation between the weights of frogs and the sizes of the Cryptosporidium oocysts detected (r = 0.0109, P > 0.05). Nevertheless, female frogs (40%) and frogs within the weight range 170–219 g were more infected with Cryptosporidium (66.7%). Oocysts size range 6.10–7.00 μm had the highest frequency of 10 (23.8%). By size 28.2% of the oocysts detected suggested infection with Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium maleagridis. Conclusions: This study has established that edible frogs (Rana spp.) sold at the Hanwa frog market for human consumption were infected with Cryptosporidium spp. which constitutes a valid public health risk especially for immunocompromised individuals.展开更多
Aposematism is an antipredator strategy in which conspicuous coloration acts as a warning of chemical defenses to potential predators.Evidence suggests that aposematism largely functions under positive frequency-depen...Aposematism is an antipredator strategy in which conspicuous coloration acts as a warning of chemical defenses to potential predators.Evidence suggests that aposematism largely functions under positive frequency-dependent selection,which is thought to maintain uniformity of aposematic signals.Many studies of aposematic organisms have found evidence that color signals and defenses are positively correlated,indicating a quantitatively honest aposematic signal.Dendrobatid poison frogs represent a well-studied group of aposematic organisms that in addition to exhibiting a diversity of color signals also display unique defensive behaviors.Few studies have examined if both behavior and coloration act as quantitative honest signals of alkaloid defenses in poison frogs.We aimed to determine if coloration and behavior are quantitatively honest signals in the green and black poison frog(Dendrobates auratus)among 6 populations from Costa Rica.We(1)evaluated antipredator displays by using behavioral assays in the field,(2)assessed frog conspicuousness and pattern using digital images,and(3)quantified alkaloid profiles from frog skin secretions.We found that Pacific populations are less conspicuous in coloration,had greater quantities of alkaloids,and more frequently performed body-raising defensive behaviors when compared with Caribbean populations.Our results do not support the hypothesis that aposematic traits in D.auratus are quantitatively honest.Rather,our results suggest that phenotypic differences among populations may represent different phenotypic optima for advertising unprofitability to predators based on local environmental conditions,leading to the diversification of aposematic signals in this species.展开更多
Dear Editor,The true frogs classified under the genus Rana, with widespread distribution in Eurasia and North America,constitute a varied and intricate group (Yuan et al., 2016;Chen et al., 2022). In total, 52 species...Dear Editor,The true frogs classified under the genus Rana, with widespread distribution in Eurasia and North America,constitute a varied and intricate group (Yuan et al., 2016;Chen et al., 2022). In total, 52 species within this genus have been documented (IUCN, 2024), with 28 of those species found in China (Amphibia China, 2024).展开更多
There are so many amazing animals in the world.They.They live inallkinds of places.Somearefamiliar,suchas tigers,elephants andkangaroos.But many are unusual.Theglass froghas special skin.It is clear,soyou can see its ...There are so many amazing animals in the world.They.They live inallkinds of places.Somearefamiliar,suchas tigers,elephants andkangaroos.But many are unusual.Theglass froghas special skin.It is clear,soyou can see its insides.The platypus isanother unusual animal.It lays eggs likeabird and has a bill like a duck.But it's nota bird.展开更多
Subject Code:C04With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a collaborative study by Chinese and American biologists led by Prof.Zhang Peng(张鹏)from Sun Yat-Sen University shows that nearly n...Subject Code:C04With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a collaborative study by Chinese and American biologists led by Prof.Zhang Peng(张鹏)from Sun Yat-Sen University shows that nearly nine out of 10species of frog today have descended from just three lineages that survived the展开更多
Dear Editor,Selective pressures emerging from the environmental complexity can drive variation in vertebrate brain size(Sol et al.2005;Sayol et al.2016).It is generally agreed that larger brains can confer better cogn...Dear Editor,Selective pressures emerging from the environmental complexity can drive variation in vertebrate brain size(Sol et al.2005;Sayol et al.2016).It is generally agreed that larger brains can confer better cognitive abilities when species are faced with complex environments(Roth et al.2010;Sayol et al.2016).Indeed,there is evidence that artificial selection on large-brained individuals has enhanced learning abilities such as numerical abilities and spatial mate search and schooling behavior in guppies(Kotrschal et al.2013,2015;Vega-Trejo et al.2020).展开更多
The distribution of exposure to Hg in amphibians remains unknown on most continents.The Ussuri broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion is a region of high biodiversity, the nine species of amphibia living on its territo...The distribution of exposure to Hg in amphibians remains unknown on most continents.The Ussuri broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion is a region of high biodiversity, the nine species of amphibia living on its territory are prey for over 25 threatened and rare vertebrate species. To understand the potential risks to wildlife, we measured the total mercury(THg) content in the Siberian wood frog(Rana amurensis) and the Sakhalin toad(Bufo sachalinensis) from the same locality. In total THg level was measured in 134 samples of liver, kidneys,and muscles via atomic absorption. Mean THg concentrations mg/kg dry weight(DW) were 0.055± 0.018 in muscles, 0.126 ± 0.040 in kidneys, and 0.140 ± 0.062 in liver in the immature Siberian wood frogs. In the adults of Siberian wood frogs, the mean THg concentrations were 0.035 ± 0.005 in muscles,0.081 ± 0.006 in kidneys and 0.030 ± 0.005 in liver.Statistically significant differences in THg content between the two age groups were obtained only for the liver(p = 0.008). The mean THg of the Sakhalin toad was 0.058 ± 0.007 in muscles, 0.085 ± 0.009 in kidneys, and 0.137 ± 0.019 in liver. THg content in immature Siberian wood frogs and Sakhalin toads showed no statistically significant differences. THg correlations between tissues and organs were found.The THg content in amphibians was found to be comparable with the THg content of producers in terrestrial ecosystems and lower compared to species from other classes of terrestrial vertebrates. There is an assumption that other species of tailless amphibians of the genera Rana and Bufo may contain similar levels of total mercury in anthropogenically unpolluted or slightly polluted boreal landscapes of the Russia. For those boreal ecosystems that are already subject to pollution, our results may be used to justify specific actions when restoring ecosystem services, structures, and functions efficiently and effectively.展开更多
The Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers were used to stu dy the intra-specific diversity and regional differentiation of the Chinese fore st frogs (Rana chensinensis), which were sampled from the fields o...The Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers were used to stu dy the intra-specific diversity and regional differentiation of the Chinese fore st frogs (Rana chensinensis), which were sampled from the fields of 8 regions in Heilongjiang Province. Totally 78 polymorphic DNA loci were amplified by 10 RAP D primers. By genetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree reconstruction wit h the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method the results showed that the populations of Ch inese forest frogs distributed in 8 regions existed great differentiation (Avera ge Fst=0.347, SD=0.235) while there was the paradox between geographic distances and genetic distances. Based on geographic and geological data, a hypothesis wa s posed that it is very possible that the hilly lands in the downstream of the S onghua River and the Heilong River were the center of the origin of the Chinese forest frogs in Heilongjiang Province. And mainly through the Songhua River syst em, the Chinese forest frogs dispersed into the Songneng Plain from the Sanjiang Plain whereas the Fangzheng region became a sub-center for the western dispersi on.展开更多
基金funded by several grants from both the National Science Foundationthe Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Program
文摘The potential for ornament evolution in response to sexual selection rests on the interaction between the permissive- ness or selectivity of female preferences and the constraints on male development of signaling related traits. We investigate the former by determining how latent female preferences either exaggerate the magnitude of current traits （i.e. elaborations） or favor novel traits （i.e. innovations）. In tt^ngara frogs, females prefer complex mating calls （whine-chucks） to simple calls （whine only）. The whine is critical for mate recognition while the chuck further enhances the attractiveness of the call. Here we use a combina- tion of synthetic and natural stimuli to examine latent female preferences. Our results show that a diversity of stimuli, including conspecific and heterospecific calls as well as predator-produced and human-made sounds, increase the attractiveness of a call when added to a whine. These stimuli do not make simple calls more attractive than a whine-chuck, however. In rare cases we found stimuli that added to the whine decrease the attractiveness of the call. Overall, females show strong preferences for both elaborations and innovations of the chuck. We argue that the emancipation of these acoustic adornments from mate recognition allows such female permissiveness, and that male constraints on signal evolution are probably more important in explaining why males evolved their specific adornment. Experimentally probing latent female preferences for stimuli out of the species＇ range is a useful means to gain insights about the potential of female choice to influence signal evolution and thus the astounding diversity in male sexually-selected traits [Current Zoology 56 （3）： 343-357, 2010].
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21177152,20877092)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.YSW2013B01)
文摘Dechlorane Plus （DP）,a flame retardant used as an alternative to decabromodiphenylether, has been frequently detected in organisms, indicating its bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in aquatic and terrestrial species. However, little data is available on the bioaccumulation of DP in amphibians. Dechlorane Plus and its analogs （DPs） were detected in the liver, muscle and brain tissues of wild frogs （Rana limnocharis）, which were collected from an e-waste recycling site, Southeast China. DP, Mirex, Dec 602 and a dechlorinated compound of DP （anti-Cll I-DP） varied in the range of 2.01-291, 0.650-179, 0.260-12.4, and not detected （nd）-8.67 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. No difference of tissue distribution was found for syn-DP, Mirex and Dec 602 between the liver and muscle tissue （liver/muscle concentration ratio close to 1, p 〉 0.05）. However, higher retention was observed for anti-DP and anti-Cll1-DP in the frog muscle relative to the liver tissue （liver/muscle concentration ratio 〈 1, p 〈 0.05）. Additionally, the blood-brain barrier was found to work efficiently to suppress these compounds entering brain tissues in this species （liver/brain concentration ratio 〉 l, p 〈 0.05）, and the molecular weight was a key factor impacting the extent of the blood-brain barrier. Compared to levels in the muscle and brain tissue, a preferential enrichment of syn-DP was observed in the liver tissue, suggesting the occurrence of stereo-selective bioaccumulation in the wild frog.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31772464 and 31572275)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(2012274)the“Light of West China”Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences。
文摘Diverse a nimal species use multimodal communica tion signals to coordina te reproductive behavior.Despite active research in this field,the brain mechanisms underlying multimodal communication remain poorly understood.Similar to humans and many mammalian species,anurans often produce auditory signals accompanied by conspicuous visual cues(e.g.,vocal sac inflation).In this study,we used video playbacks to determine the role of vocal-sac inflation in little torrent frogs(Amolops torrentis).Then we exposed females to blank,visual,auditory,and audiovisual stimuli and analyzed whole brain tissue gene expression changes using RNAseq.The results showed that both auditory cues(i.e.,male advertisement calls)and visual cues were attractive to female frogs,although auditory cues were more attractive than visual cues.Females preferred simultaneous bimodal cues to unimodal cues.The hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed genes showed a close relationship between neurogenomic states and momentarily expressed sexual signals.We also found that the Gene Ontology terms and KEGG pathways involved in energy metabolism were mostly increased in blank contrast versus visual,acoustic,or audiovisual stimuli,indicating that brain energy use may play an important role in response to these stimuli.In sum,behavioral and neurogenomic responses to acoustic and visual cues are correlated in female little torrent frogs.
基金Financial support was provided by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(Nos.31772451,31970393)the Science and Technology Youth Innovation Team of Sichuan Province(2019JDTD0012)。
文摘Variation in age structure and body size benefits are identified to understand the evolution of life history.Here,we estimated the age structure and body size of two species of odorous frogs(Odorrana margaretae and Odorrana grahami)by using skeletochronology.The ages at sexual maturity of O.grahami and O.margaretae in both sexes were 1 and 2 years,respectively.For both sexes,the maximum age observed in O.margaretae was six years.For O.grahami,the maximum age observed in males and females were 4 and 5 years,respectively.Males and females did not differ in mean age in the two species.The average body size of both species considerably differed between sexes,with females being larger than males.The body size of females was also larger than that of males when the effect of age was removed.We also found positive correlations between body size and age within each sex in O.margaretae,but only for female in O.grahami.The female-biased sexual size dimorphism of the two species suggested that fecundity selection for larger female size may increase the reproductive output.
文摘A frog(蛙) is a kind of amphibians(两栖动物). Frogs live both in land(陆地) and in water. They try their best to find and eat off(吃掉) a lot of insects(昆虫) every day. The farmers always praise(称赞) them, "Frogs are protectors(保护者) of crops(庄稼)." In the cold weather, frogs have to hibernate(冬眠) under the mud(软泥), the root(根) of a tree or a place in a hole(洞). When it gets warmer, they will come to the fields again.
文摘The current study aims to investigate the population variation and food habits of ranid frogs in the rice-based cropping system in District Gujranwala,Pakistan.The population in the study area was estimated using capture,mark and release method whereas food habits of the species were studied by analysis of stomach contents.The results showed the highest average population was found during August 2009(93.10±18.64/ha) while the lowest from December 2008 to February 2009.Maximum seasonal populations existed in summer 2009,whereas winter 2008 sizes were at a minimum.Stomach content analysis of the species revealed percent frequency(% F) of occurrence of insects(80.3),earthworms(28.5),whole frogs(15.8),bone pieces(22.5),rodents(1.66),vegetation(5.0),soil particles(13.3) and some unidentified material(7.5) in all the stomach samples.Most frequently consumed prey items were insects(30% by volume),although frogs also preyed upon conspecifics and rodents.Insects recovered from the stomach contents were identified as belonging to Orthoptera,Lepidoptera,Coleoptera,Diptera,Odonata and Homoptera as well as the class Archnida.Insects recovered from the stomach contents were compared to those captured from the study area.
基金supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31970422,31672305 and 31372217 to Guangzhan FANG,No.31572275 to Yezhong TANG)the grants from Biodiversity Conservation Programe of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China to Baowei ZHANG。
文摘Male-male vocal competition is critical for mating success in anuran species;however,it remains unknown that how males regulate their competitive strategies dynamically during competition because calling is highly time-consuming,energetically demanding and likely to increase predation risks.Since different parts of calls will encode different information for vocal communication,we hypothesized that competitive strategies of male frogs may be modulated by the temporal and spectral features of different call notes.To test this hypothesis,the natural advertisement calls(OC),its modified versions with the first call note replaced by white noise(WN)or other notes and with the fifth call note replaced by WN,were played back to the Anhui tree frogs(Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae).Results showed that 1)males produced more competitive calls in response to acoustic stimuli compared to their baseline calling during silence;and 2)males emitted more non-overlapping calls compared to overlapping calls in response to the acoustic stimuli.These results are consistent with the idea that males are flexible to acoustic signals and their competition strategies are modulated dynamically by social contexts.
文摘In tungara frogs, female mate choice requires remembering the location and/or calls of preferred males who advertise from fixed positions within a breeding pond. A previous study found that, when solving a place discrimination task in the laboratory, female tCingara frogs were able to learn a visual cue to solve the task, whereas males were not. In that task, male performance appeared to be inhibited, in part, by their attempt to use egocentric cues. We tested whether the sex difference in place learning previously reported would generalize to other training parameters with different cues available by eliminating the potential to use egocentric cues and increasing the number of trials per day. As before, frogs were given a choice between a red or yellow door, one of which led to shelters and return to their home cage. In the current testing conditions, we detected a preference for the red door;thus, we only considered frogs rewarded to the yellow door. Training was associated with an in crease in correct choices and an in creased preference for the yellow door. However, there was no evide nee for a sex d iff ere nee in learni ng. In summary, un der the curre nt training conditions, we fou nd that the appare nt female advantage in place learning was no Ion ger evide nt. Future studies that in vestigate sex d iff ere nces in cue pref ere nee and/or ability to switch among cues will further illuminate the conditions under which sex differences in learning are manifest in tungara frogs.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31772464)Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS (2012274)。
文摘In anurans, calling behaviour is strongly seasonal and circadian. Previous studies have revealed that a uditory sensitivity in frogs exhibits seasonal plasticity, and electroencephalographic signals exhibit highly correlated circadian patterns;of which, the circadian rhythm remains unknown. In this study,the circadian rhythm and intersexual differences of auditory sensitivity were tested in the Emei music frog(Nidirana daunchina). This was achieved by comparing thresholds and latencies of auditory brainstem responses(ABRs) evoked by tones and clicks stimuli between male and female frogs during the day and at night,respectively. Our results revealed that both auditory thresholds and latencies had no differences between day and night except the la tencies in 3.5–4.0 kHz frequencies. However, the thresholds of tone pip evoked ABRs differed significantly between male and female frogs from 2.5 to 5.0 kHz. This demonstrated that the auditory sensitivity of Emei music frogs exhibits sexual dimorphism at high frequencies, with female frogs exhibiting greater auditory sensitivity than that of male frogs. Simultaneously, the power spectra of male advertisement calls are matched well with the frequency range of auditory sensitivity in male and female frogs,which supports the matched filter hypothesis. Our study enhances the understanding of circadian plasticity and sexual dimorphism of auditory sensitivity in frogs.
文摘In How to Read Lacan, noted cultural theorist, Slavoj Zizek, addresses a ＂comedic,＂ British, beer commercial to highlight an element of Lacanian psychoanalysis （i.e., obj et petit a）. Although his use of the commercial serves his purpose, Zizek only dedicates one paragraph to it. This work significantly expands Zizek＇s initial interpretation by （1） contextualizing the commercial＇s plotline via comparison to other, similar mythological plots; （2） examining how the visual arrangement and narrative structure work to construct gender; and （3） addressing beauty via the Lacanian ＂demand＂ and ＂desires＂ made manifest within the text.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32170435)。
文摘Roadkill has become a pivotal issue in the global decline of amphibian populations.Conventional research methods have typically relied on the examination of dried carcasses found long after wildlife-vehicle collisions, which influnce the accuracy of the taxonomic classification and assessment of roadkill rates. To overcome these limitations, we conducted a nocturnal survey on National Road G108in the Qinling Mountains immediately following a night rainstorm in July 2016. We employed molecular techniques to distinguish species that are morphologically identical but share overlapping habitats. Our investigation revealed that within five hours, 92 amphibians from five different species were documented across three 2-km road transects. Among these, 31 individuals were identified as roadkill,resulting in an overall rate of 33%, or roughly five fatalities per kilometer. Significantly, the mountain stream frogs Nanorana quadranus and N. taihangnica comprised 40.2% and 30.4% of the total individuals observed, with mortality rates of 35.1% and 25.0%,respectively. We found no significant variation in mortality rates between different age groups or genders for either species. Our research suggests that conducting surveys at night, immediately following summer rainstorms, is an efficient strategy for evaluating the impacts of roadkill. The post-rain foraging behaviors and the dispersal of juveniles are key factors contributing to road crossings outside of the breeding season. Consequently, this study recommends that traffic authorities in mountainous areas take measures to reduce vehicle traffic following summer rainstorms in order to minimize the threat to amphibian lives.
文摘Objective: To determine the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in edible frogs (Rana spp.) sold at the Hanwa frog market, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 117 frogs (Rana spp.) were randomly collected based on consent and availability at the market. The intestinal contents from the frogs were examined by staining flotation and sedimentation smears with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique and microscopy of the oocysts. Results: Overall, 35.9% of frogs sampled from the Hanwa frog market were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. There were more Cryptosporidium oocysts detected by sedimentation test (28.2%) than flotation test (23.9%). There was no significant statistical association between sex of frogs and oocyst detection (χ2 = 0.5349, P > 0.05). Also, there was no correlation between the weights of frogs and the sizes of the Cryptosporidium oocysts detected (r = 0.0109, P > 0.05). Nevertheless, female frogs (40%) and frogs within the weight range 170–219 g were more infected with Cryptosporidium (66.7%). Oocysts size range 6.10–7.00 μm had the highest frequency of 10 (23.8%). By size 28.2% of the oocysts detected suggested infection with Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium maleagridis. Conclusions: This study has established that edible frogs (Rana spp.) sold at the Hanwa frog market for human consumption were infected with Cryptosporidium spp. which constitutes a valid public health risk especially for immunocompromised individuals.
基金funded by 2 grants awarded to KPB(Animal Behavior Society,Student Research Grant and Sigma Xi,Grants-in-Aid of Research)funding from John Carroll University.
文摘Aposematism is an antipredator strategy in which conspicuous coloration acts as a warning of chemical defenses to potential predators.Evidence suggests that aposematism largely functions under positive frequency-dependent selection,which is thought to maintain uniformity of aposematic signals.Many studies of aposematic organisms have found evidence that color signals and defenses are positively correlated,indicating a quantitatively honest aposematic signal.Dendrobatid poison frogs represent a well-studied group of aposematic organisms that in addition to exhibiting a diversity of color signals also display unique defensive behaviors.Few studies have examined if both behavior and coloration act as quantitative honest signals of alkaloid defenses in poison frogs.We aimed to determine if coloration and behavior are quantitatively honest signals in the green and black poison frog(Dendrobates auratus)among 6 populations from Costa Rica.We(1)evaluated antipredator displays by using behavioral assays in the field,(2)assessed frog conspicuousness and pattern using digital images,and(3)quantified alkaloid profiles from frog skin secretions.We found that Pacific populations are less conspicuous in coloration,had greater quantities of alkaloids,and more frequently performed body-raising defensive behaviors when compared with Caribbean populations.Our results do not support the hypothesis that aposematic traits in D.auratus are quantitatively honest.Rather,our results suggest that phenotypic differences among populations may represent different phenotypic optima for advertising unprofitability to predators based on local environmental conditions,leading to the diversification of aposematic signals in this species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.31970499 to Liuwang NIE)。
文摘Dear Editor,The true frogs classified under the genus Rana, with widespread distribution in Eurasia and North America,constitute a varied and intricate group (Yuan et al., 2016;Chen et al., 2022). In total, 52 species within this genus have been documented (IUCN, 2024), with 28 of those species found in China (Amphibia China, 2024).
文摘There are so many amazing animals in the world.They.They live inallkinds of places.Somearefamiliar,suchas tigers,elephants andkangaroos.But many are unusual.Theglass froghas special skin.It is clear,soyou can see its insides.The platypus isanother unusual animal.It lays eggs likeabird and has a bill like a duck.But it's nota bird.
文摘Subject Code:C04With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a collaborative study by Chinese and American biologists led by Prof.Zhang Peng(张鹏)from Sun Yat-Sen University shows that nearly nine out of 10species of frog today have descended from just three lineages that survived the
基金We thank the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(31970393)the Key Project of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province(22NSFSC0011)for supporting our study.
文摘Dear Editor,Selective pressures emerging from the environmental complexity can drive variation in vertebrate brain size(Sol et al.2005;Sayol et al.2016).It is generally agreed that larger brains can confer better cognitive abilities when species are faced with complex environments(Roth et al.2010;Sayol et al.2016).Indeed,there is evidence that artificial selection on large-brained individuals has enhanced learning abilities such as numerical abilities and spatial mate search and schooling behavior in guppies(Kotrschal et al.2013,2015;Vega-Trejo et al.2020).
基金partially carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (124012200182-1)。
文摘The distribution of exposure to Hg in amphibians remains unknown on most continents.The Ussuri broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion is a region of high biodiversity, the nine species of amphibia living on its territory are prey for over 25 threatened and rare vertebrate species. To understand the potential risks to wildlife, we measured the total mercury(THg) content in the Siberian wood frog(Rana amurensis) and the Sakhalin toad(Bufo sachalinensis) from the same locality. In total THg level was measured in 134 samples of liver, kidneys,and muscles via atomic absorption. Mean THg concentrations mg/kg dry weight(DW) were 0.055± 0.018 in muscles, 0.126 ± 0.040 in kidneys, and 0.140 ± 0.062 in liver in the immature Siberian wood frogs. In the adults of Siberian wood frogs, the mean THg concentrations were 0.035 ± 0.005 in muscles,0.081 ± 0.006 in kidneys and 0.030 ± 0.005 in liver.Statistically significant differences in THg content between the two age groups were obtained only for the liver(p = 0.008). The mean THg of the Sakhalin toad was 0.058 ± 0.007 in muscles, 0.085 ± 0.009 in kidneys, and 0.137 ± 0.019 in liver. THg content in immature Siberian wood frogs and Sakhalin toads showed no statistically significant differences. THg correlations between tissues and organs were found.The THg content in amphibians was found to be comparable with the THg content of producers in terrestrial ecosystems and lower compared to species from other classes of terrestrial vertebrates. There is an assumption that other species of tailless amphibians of the genera Rana and Bufo may contain similar levels of total mercury in anthropogenically unpolluted or slightly polluted boreal landscapes of the Russia. For those boreal ecosystems that are already subject to pollution, our results may be used to justify specific actions when restoring ecosystem services, structures, and functions efficiently and effectively.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (C9726).
文摘The Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA (RAPD) markers were used to stu dy the intra-specific diversity and regional differentiation of the Chinese fore st frogs (Rana chensinensis), which were sampled from the fields of 8 regions in Heilongjiang Province. Totally 78 polymorphic DNA loci were amplified by 10 RAP D primers. By genetic distance analysis and phylogenetic tree reconstruction wit h the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method the results showed that the populations of Ch inese forest frogs distributed in 8 regions existed great differentiation (Avera ge Fst=0.347, SD=0.235) while there was the paradox between geographic distances and genetic distances. Based on geographic and geological data, a hypothesis wa s posed that it is very possible that the hilly lands in the downstream of the S onghua River and the Heilong River were the center of the origin of the Chinese forest frogs in Heilongjiang Province. And mainly through the Songhua River syst em, the Chinese forest frogs dispersed into the Songneng Plain from the Sanjiang Plain whereas the Fangzheng region became a sub-center for the western dispersi on.
