Effect of Ontogenetic Increases in Body Size on Burst Swimming Performance in Tadpoles of the Striped Marsh Frog,Limnodynastes peronii

Abstract

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Water Velocity Tolerance in Tadpoles of the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog (Rana boylii): Swimming Performance, Growth, and Survival

“…Generally, there is a positive allometry between the total length of a tadpole and maximum swimming velocity, Umax, and acceleration, meaning that the rate of increase in speed is proportionally greater than the increase in length that occurs as a tadpole grows and develops (Wilson and Franklin 2000). When comparing tadpoles with a range of body plans, there is a general conclusion that relatively deeper tail fins and tail muscles and smaller bodies facilitate increased burst swimming speed (Dayton e al.…”

“…First, tadpoles spend more time under rocks when velocity is elevated so the proximity to predators increases. Second, the elevated velocity tadpoles grow more slowly than the low velocity tadpoles and may thus be more vulnerable by virtue of their small body size, and concomitantly lower burst swimming speeds needed for escape (Wilson and Franklin 2000). …”

Morphology and escape performance of tiger salamander larvae (Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium)

“…Fish and amphibian larvae use a relatively standard fast-start behavior, the Cstart, to escape predators (Weihs, '73;Domenici and Blake, '97;Wilson and Franklin, 2000;Azizi and Landberg, 2002). The response to a startling stimulus is generally divided into three kinematic stages (Weihs,'73,Domenici and Blake,'97).…”

Life in acid: interactive effects of pH and natural organic acids on growth, development and locomotor performance of larval striped marsh frogs (Limnodynastes peronii)

“…Both wallum water concentration and pH also indirectly affected swimming performance by changes in total body length. This was not surprising given that total body length is often associated with an increased swimming speed for aquatic organisms, including larvae of L. peronii (Wilson and Franklin, 2000). Because of the complex nature of humic substances, the exact mechanisms that either cause toxicity or provide a protective function are largely unknown.…”