Amphibians Feeding Adaptations & Sensory Systems

Question 1

What are the two tyes of aquatic species feeding

Answer 1

Suction Feeding and Suspension

Question 2

Expansion of the buccam cavaity to create negative pressure

Answer 2

Suction Feeding (latval paedomorphic salamanders)

Question 3

Water is drawn into the mouth by creating negative pressure, large particples go straight to esophagus, small partciles are passed to branchial arches

Answer 3

Suspension Feeding (most tadpoles)

Question 4

Labial teeth

Answer 4

Most tadpoles have these letstinized structures on their oral discs that help them eat

Question 5

How do the tadpoles of spadefoot toads exhibit plasticity?

Answer 5

1. At hatching, all have an omnivore morphology
2. Depending on environment, the tadpoles develop into either omnivores or carnivores
3. Carnivores arise facultatively through ingestion of large shrimp and tadpoles can change back to the alternative morphology if their diet is switched

Question 6

What species faces cannibalism?

Answer 6

Spadefoot toads and tiger salamanders

Question 7

How does the cannibalistic morph look in comparison to the typical morph?

Answer 7

Cannibal has enlarged head and vomerine ridge (teeth) with assist them when feeding on conspecifics. They have increased growth rate and acclerated metamorphosis, but this morph can be reversed it conditions change withina certain critical period.

Question 8

What are the two feeding types in terrestrial amphibians species?

Answer 8

Non projectile and projectile feeding

Question 9

The body moves forward and bites down on prey

Answer 9

Nonprojectile feeding (seen in some frogs, salamanders, and all caecilians)

Question 10

Sticky tongue shoots out and quickly grom the mouth capturing prey

Answer 10

Projectile feeding (most common form of feeding in salamanders and frogs)

Question 11

Hyobranchial apparatus

Answer 11

Structural base for the tongue, attacjed to lower jaw/skull/perctoral girdle and functions for ventilation and feeding for terrestrial salamanders and frogs

Question 12

What species has the protusible tongue attached anteriorly?

Answer 12

Ambystoma maculatum

Question 13

What is buccal pumping and what species does it?

Answer 13

Breathing with the cheeks (the hypbranchial apparatus is used for this); Ambystoma maculatum

Question 14

What suborder of amphibians have no lungs?

Answer 14

Salmandrina (& Plethodontidae)

Question 15

Is capture if prey with tongue homology or homoplasy?

Question 16

What is the lingual flip and is it projectile or nonprojectile feeding?

Answer 16

Tongue is flipped out like a catapult rather than being shot out using the hypbranchial apparatus; Tongue is commonly attached to the front of tje mouth and is flipped out (back side grabs prey)

Question 17

Why frogs close their eyes when eating/swallowing?

Answer 17

Swallowing behaviors involve movements of the head, hyobranchial apparatus, jaws, tongue, and eyes. They used their eyes to push down food while swallowing

Question 18

What is the amphibian sensory organ?

Answer 18

Vomeronasal organ (Jacobson’s organ) which is a sac in the roof of the mouth which has specialized sensory cells for detecting volatile and non volatile molecules in the air

Question 19

Nasolabial Grooves

Answer 19

Nose sensory organs that run from the nostrils fown the front of the face

Question 20

How do plethodontid Salamanders use their nose for chemoreception and reproduction?

Answer 20

Press the front of the nose against the ground, causing fluid to be drawn into the groves and transferred up to the nostrils by capillary action and into the vomeronasal organ

Question 21

What sensory system do frogs (like Agalychnis callidryas) use?

Answer 21

Vibration

Question 22

What species have protrusible tentacles and what is it used for?

Answer 22

Caecilians ; we think that they are used for chemoreception but theyre not well understood

Question 23

In tetrapods, how do thwy adjust their vision?

Answer 23

They use the muscles in the eyes to change the shape (curvature of the lens to focus) and they have a thicker cornea

Question 24

What is the nictitating membrane in amphibians?

Answer 24

A secondary, transparent/semi membrane that covers the eye and helps to keep it moist

Question 25

What species are nearly blind?

Answer 25

Subterranean & cabe dwelling salamanders and caecillians

Question 26

Do all tetrapods have an inner ear? Explain.

Answer 26

Yes but the organization is different in amphibians, reptiles/birds, mammals. They evolved indepently in each lineage.

Question 27

Tympanum/tympanic membrane

Answer 27

External ear drum

Question 28

Columella

Answer 28

Single bone that transmits sound to modified hair cells in the inner ear

Question 29

Lateral line

Answer 29

Retained in larval stages and fully aquatic amphibians; detects movement and vibration in water

Question 30

How does the adult vs larvae different in Amphibian Diet

Answer 30

Adults are mostly carnivorous and larvae are often herbivorous