Hemoparasites Do Not Affect Life-History Traits and Cellular Immune Response in Treefrog Hosts .

We provide the first evidence for hemoparasites in the endemic Cordoba treefrog . We collected 37 adult frogs at 1200 m a.s.

Effect on growth and development of common toad (Rhinella arenarum) tadpoles in environment related to fluorite mine.

Fluorite mining activities have been scarcely evaluated so far and the potential effect of this activity on larval stages is poorly known. Thus, studies addressing the effect of contaminants present in water bodies on the health of amphibian larvae are crucial information for their conservation and constitute a warning sign of environmental modification. This study aims to evaluate the effects of natural and artificial surface waters associated with a fluorite mine on the early life stages of Rhinella arenarum.

Asymmetric Male Mating Success in Lek-Breeding .

Mate choice is the attempt of an individual to gain higher reproductive fitness by preferring to mate with some individuals and not with others. We studied the role of mate choice in the mating system of the neotropical toad by assessing male reproductive tactics for mate acquisition and the contribution of female choice for pair formation. In a shallow pond in central Argentina, we estimated male mating success and the corresponding reproductive tactics by focal observation.

Body size, age and growth in males populations of Boana pulchella (Anura, Hylidae).

Age determination in amphibians is crucial to the investigation of life-history traits. In this context, we studied, for the first time, the life-history traits of Boana pulchella from a sample (63 adult males) of three populations (Las Acequias, Río Cuarto, Alejandro Roca) in central Argentina using the skeletochronological method. All adults of B.

Anuran tadpoles inhabiting a fluoride-rich stream: diets and morphological indicators.

We assessed the influence of natural fluoride concentrations in lotic freshwater ecosystems on diet and morphology of tadpoles. Two streams were sampled in Argentina: Los Vallecitos stream (LF-LV) and Los Cerros Negros stream (HF-CN) with low and high fluoride levels, respectively. We captured tadpoles of in each stream using nets.

Evaluation in situ of genotoxic and cytotoxic response in the diploid/polyploid complex Odontophrynus (Anura: Odontophrynidae) inhabiting agroecosystems.

Polyploidization has been documented across a wide range of vertebrates. Gene duplication could promote better adaptation to environmental changes and to chronic injury or stress. We investigated if genotoxic and cytotoxic responses to agricultural impact are affected by ploidy.

Morphology and size of blood cells of Rhinella arenarum (Hensel, 1867) as environmental health assessment in disturbed aquatic ecosystem from central Argentina.

Four populations of Rhinella arenarum from aquatic environments with different degrees of disturbance in central Argentina were compared to assess the ability of cytomorphology and cytomorphometry of blood cells as a hematological biomarker. A total of 93 specimens of R. arenarum (adults sexually mature) were captured during the spring.

Evaluation in situ of genotoxicity and stress in South American common toad Rhinella arenarum in environments related to fluorite mine.

Little attention has been paid to the impact of wastewater generated by mining activities on fluoride. In this study, we evaluated the hematology responses of common South American toad Rhinella arenarum inhabiting natural and artificial environments associated with a fluorite mine from central Argentina. We analyzed three sampling stations associated with the fluorite mine: (I) Los Cerros Negros stream (CN), which runs on granitic rock with a high fluorite content; (II) Los Vallecitos stream (LV), which runs on metamorphic rock with low fluorite content; and (III) artificial decantation ponds (DP) containing sediments produced by fluorite flotation process.

Assessment in situ of genotoxicity in tadpoles and adults of frog Hypsiboas cordobae (Barrio 1965) inhabiting aquatic ecosystems associated to fluorite mine.

Non-lethal biological techniques such as blood biomarkers have gained attention due to their value as early signals of anthropic effects of contamination representing significant tools to evaluate ecosystems health. We evaluate and characterize in situ genotoxicity of water samples collected from aquatic ecosystems around a fluorite mine using amphibian frogs Hypsiboas cordobae as bioindicator species complemented with 16 physicochemical parameters. Four stations associated with fluorite mine sampling were sampled: a stream running on granitic rock with natural high fluorite content; two streams both running on metamorphic rock with low fluorite content; and an artificial decantation pond containing sediments produced by fluorite flotation process with high variation in physicochemical parameters.

Reproductive biology of Pleurodema guayapae (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae).

Pleurodema guayapae is a species that inhabits saline environments and semidesert zones from central Argentina. To date, the knowledge about the reproductive biology of this species is very poor, and our aim is to contribute to its knowledge with the description of some important reproductive aspects. For this, field work was undertaken in an area near to Patquia, La Rioja province.

[Intra- and inter-specific morphometric variation between Odontophrynus populations (Anura: Cycloramphidae) of central Argentina].

Intra- and inter-specific morphometric variation between Odontophrynus populations (Anura: Cycloramphidae) of central Argentina. Morphometric analyses are particularly important, and for many years they have supported evolutionary and ecological phenomena, and have been useful for the classification of new species, mainly to the lowest taxonomic levels. In order to assess the degree of sexual dimorphism, the intra-specific morphometric variation and the inter-specific morphological differences, we performed morphometric analyses of two morphologically cryptic species, Odontophrynus cordobae (diploid) and O.

Erythrocyte nuclear size as a better diagnostic character than cell size in the identification of live cryptic polyploid species.

It is well documented in anurans the cryptic condition of many species complexes involving polyploids. In these complexes the character that clearly differentiates them is the number of chromosome complements. The blood cells of amphibians conserve their nucleus, and so the erythrocyte size is correlated with the DNA content.