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1 March 2017 Histology Reveals Testicular Oocytes and Trematode Cysts In the Threatened Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa)
Aaron H Griffing
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Abstract

The Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) is endemic to the Pacific Northwest and was recently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We tested the hypothesis that reproductive or physiological stress and parasitic disease may be contributing to the decline of this species. We histologically examined gonads and kidneys of newly metamorphosed wild-caught R. pretiosa to confirm sex and search for evidence of abnormal reproductive development and parasites. A subset of these specimens were also cleared and stained for examination of their skeletal morphology to identify potential skeletal malformations. The sex ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1, and we found no skeletal abnormalities. Trematode metacercarial parasites were present in the kidneys of all Spotted Frogs examined. We also report, for the first time, oocytes developing in the testes of 5 out of the 11 newly metamorphosed male Spotted Frogs examined. Further study into gonadal development of this species is necessary to investigate the significance of testicular oocytes in developing R. pretiosa and to identify whether these gonadal abnormalities are related in any way to their decline.

Aaron H Griffing "Histology Reveals Testicular Oocytes and Trematode Cysts In the Threatened Oregon Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa)," Northwestern Naturalist 98(1), 24-32, (1 March 2017). https://doi.org/10.1898/NWN16-13.1
Received: 5 April 2016; Accepted: 1 September 2016; Published: 1 March 2017
KEYWORDS
amphibian
Echinostoma
extinction
Oregon Spotted Frog
Pacific Northwest
parasites
Rana pretiosa
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