Defining Anuran Malformations in the Context of a Developmental Problem

Authors

Carol U. Meteyer, National Wildlife Health Center
Rebecca A. Cole, National Wildlife Health Center
Kathryn A. Converse, National Wildlife Health CenterFollow
Douglas E. Docherty, National Wildlife Health Center
Mark Wolcott, National Wildlife Health Center
Judy C. Helgen, Minnesota Pollution Control AgencyFollow
Richard Levey, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Laura Eaton-Poole, United States Fish and Wildlife ServiceFollow
James G. Burkhart, National Institute of Health

Document Type

Research

Keywords

amphibians, environmentally-induced malformations, malformations, teratogenesis, Rana pipiens, microbiology

Abstract

This paper summarizes terminology and general concepts involved in animal development for the purpose of providing background for the study and understanding of frog malformations. The results of our radiographic investigation of rear limb malformations in Rana pipiens provide evidence that frog malformations are the product of early developmental errors. Although bacteria, parasites and viruses were identified in these metamorphosed frogs, the relevant window to look for the teratogenic affect of these agents is in the early tadpole stage during limb development. As a result, our microbiological findings must be regarded as inconclusive relative to determining their contribution to malformations because we conducted our examinations on metamorphosed frogs not tadpoles. Future studies need to look at teratogenic agents (chemical, microbial, physical or mechanical) that are present in the embryo, tadpole, and their environments at stages of development that are relevant for the malformation type. The impact of these teratogenic agents then needs to be assessed in appropriate animal models using studies that are designed to mimic field conditions. The results of these laboratory tests should then be analyzed in such a way that will allow comparison with the findings in the wild-caught tadpoles and frogs.

Publication Date

September-December 2000

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

107

Issue

3-4

First Page

72

Last Page

78

Copyright

© Copyright 2000 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Meteyer, Carol U.; Cole, Rebecca A.; Converse, Kathryn A.; Docherty, Douglas E.; Wolcott, Mark; Helgen, Judy C.; Levey, Richard; Eaton-Poole, Laura; and Burkhart, James G. (2000) "Defining Anuran Malformations in the Context of a Developmental Problem," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 107(3-4), 72-78.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol107/iss3/7