Amphibia, Bufonidae, Didynamipus sjostedti Andersson, 1903: new records and a review of geographic distribution

Gonwouo, Nono L.; Ndeh, Anye D.; Tapondjou, Walter P.; Noonan, Brice P.

doi:10.15560/9.4.780

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Three important species for which breeding biology has not yet been confirmed are Didynamipus sjostedti, Churamiti maridadi and Wolterstorffina chirioi. A recent report of a terrestrial clutch [34] conforms to previous assumptions that D. sjostedti deposits terrestrial eggs that possibly undergo direct development [35,36]. Churamiti maridadi has been scored as breeding in open water bodies, based on ovarian clutch characteristics [26,37].…”

Section: (C) Reproductive Modesmentioning

confidence: 55%

Terrestrial reproduction as an adaptation to steep terrain in African toads

et al. 2017

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How evolutionary novelties evolve is a major question in evolutionary biology. It is widely accepted that changes in environmental conditions shift the position of selective optima, and advancements in phylogenetic comparative approaches allow the rigorous testing of such correlated transitions. A longstanding question in vertebrate biology has been the evolution of terrestrial life histories in amphibians and here, by investigating African bufonids, we test whether terrestrial modes of reproduction have evolved as adaptations to particular abiotic habitat parameters. We reconstruct and date the most complete species-level molecular phylogeny and estimate ancestral states for reproductive modes. By correlating continuous habitat measurements from remote sensing data and locality records with life-history transitions, we discover that terrestrial modes of reproduction, including viviparity evolved multiple times in this group, most often directly from fully aquatic modes. Terrestrial modes of reproduction are strongly correlated with steep terrain and low availability of accumulated water sources. Evolutionary transitions to terrestrial modes of reproduction occurred synchronously with or after transitions in habitat, and we, therefore, interpret terrestrial breeding as an adaptation to these abiotic conditions, rather than an exaptation that facilitated the colonization of montane habitats.

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Section: (C) Reproductive Modesmentioning

confidence: 55%

Terrestrial reproduction as an adaptation to steep terrain in African toads

et al. 2017

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“…Whereas ovoviviparous development (i.e., retention of eggs within the female oviducts) is reported in unrelated species (e.g., Eleutherodactyus jasperi; Wake, 1978), Nimba toads Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis are the single matrotrophic viviparous anurans known to date (Sandberger-Loua et al, 2017). Finally, direct development has been confirmed in the two Neotropical genera Incilius and Oreophrynella (Gray & Bland, 2016;McDiarmid & Gorzula, 1989) and postulated in Churamiti, Didynamipus, Laurentophryne, and Osornophryne (Blackburn et al, 2017;Channing et al, 2012;Gonwouo et al, 2013;Ruiz-Carranza & Hernández-Camacho, 1976). Morphological and developmental aspects are only known for the first three developmental types, and show that whereas nonfeeding tadpoles may exhibit an entire larval morphotype (e.g., Chandramouli et al, 2016), viviparous and ovoviviparous embryos show significant reduction in several structures (e.g., Orton, 1949).…”

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confidence: 96%

Direct development or endotrophic tadpole? Morphological aspects of the early ontogeny of the plump toad Osornophryne occidentalis (Anura: Bufonidae)

Romero‐Carvajal

Negrete

Salazar‐Nicholls

et al. 2023

Journal of Morphology

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Andean Toads of the genus Osornophryne are suspected to have direct development on the basis of clutch and egg features. In this work, we describe the morphology of Osornophryne occidentalis embryos from a nest collected in the field. Several traits are similar to those reported in brachycephaloid Eleutherodactylus coqui and other direct‐developing lineages. These include the pattern of formation of the body wall and the absence of oral and buccopharyngeal structures. Other features indicate the retention of ancestral larval characters. The development of forelimbs occurs in part within the operculum as in species with biphasic ontogeny; this has been reported in other direct‐developing species, and is similar to what is described in African viviparous bufonids. This salient feature, along with the long, low‐finned tail and the long and folded intestine early differentiated, gives these embryos a rather tadpole‐like appearance. Our data confirm that development in O. occidentalis occurs within terrestrial eggs until advanced stages, and this would satisfy current definitions of direct development. At the same time, morphological differences regarding other species with comparable breeding reinforce interpretations about the wide anatomical and ontogenetic variations associated with endotrophic nutrition.

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A review of the reproductive biology of the only known matrotrophic viviparous anuran, the West African Nimba toad, Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis

Sandberger-Loua¹,

Müller²,

Rödel³

2017

ZSE

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Amphibians, and anurans in particular, show the highest diversity of reproductive modes among tetrapods. Nevertheless, viviparity is scarce in anurans and its occurrence is even more often assumed rather than confirmed. Probably the best studied viviparous amphibian is the Nimba toad, Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis. During more than 40 years of research, the Nimba toad's reproductive morphology, endocrine activity of the ovary as well as the pituitary gland, and to some extent the ecological impact (seasonality, humidity, food availability) on reproduction was examined. Due to the Nimba toad's unique reproductive mode, summaries are usually included in reviews discussing amphibian reproduction and articles on reproductive biology often discuss the exceptional reproductive system of Nimba toads. However, to our knowledge a detailed synthesis, summarising all the different original studies on the toad's reproduction, is so far missing. In this paper we review and summarise all available initial publications, which often have been published in French and/or are difficult to access. A short overview is given of the climatic and environmental conditions experienced by Nimba toads and the key findings supporting a "true" viviparous reproduction with matrotrophy (maternal provision of nutrition during the gestation) and pueriparity (birth of juveniles). Then foetal development (morphological, gonad and pituitary development), and the female (ovary, oviduct, pituitary and their endocrine interactions) and the male reproductive system (testes and pituitary) are reviewed. Finally, the reproductive cycle and its link to the Nimba mountains' seasonality and ecological/ conservation implications are discussed. Key WordsAmphibia development evolution ovary oviduct pueriparity seasonality testes uterus

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Amphibia, Bufonidae, Didynamipus sjostedti Andersson, 1903: new records and a review of geographic distribution

Abstract: Didynamipus sjostedti is reported from two new sites in southwest Cameroon. The distribution of this species is discussed with a review of known specimens

Cited by 3 publications

References 6 publications

Terrestrial reproduction as an adaptation to steep terrain in African toads

Terrestrial reproduction as an adaptation to steep terrain in African toads

Direct development or endotrophic tadpole? Morphological aspects of the early ontogeny of the plump toad Osornophryne occidentalis (Anura: Bufonidae)

A review of the reproductive biology of the only known matrotrophic viviparous anuran, the West African Nimba toad, Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis

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