Biology:Nuptial pad
A nuptial pad (also known as thumb pad, or nuptial excrescence[1]) is a secondary sex characteristic present on some mature male frogs and salamanders.[2][3][4][5] Triggered by androgen hormones, this breeding gland (a type of mucous gland) appears as a spiked epithelial swelling on the forearm and prepollex that aids with grip, which is used primarily by males to grasp (or clasp) females during amplexus.[6] They can also be used in male–male combat in some species.[6]
Historical background
Austrian biologist Paul Kammerer experimented on midwife toads' nuptial pads.[7] He used the offspring's apparent enlargening from generation-to-generation as evidence of Lamarckian evolution.[8]
Examples
Many amphibian species manifest nuptial pads for use in amplexus, an example being the rough-skinned newt, Taricha granulosa.[9]
See also
- Biology:Amplexus – Type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species
- Biology:Humeral spine
References
- ↑ William E. Duellman (1994). Biology of Amphibians. JHU Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-8018-4780-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=CzxVvKmrtIgC&q=Humeral+spine+frog&pg=PA55.
- ↑ "Science & Nature – Wildfacts – Common frog, grass frog". BBC. 2008-07-25. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/483.shtml.
- ↑ "Mertensiella caucasica". AmphibiaWeb. 1999-10-03. http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?query_src=aw_search_index&table=amphib&special=one_record&where-genus=Mertensiella&where-species=caucasica.
- ↑ "Ommatotriton ophryticus". AmphibiaWeb. 2005-10-26. http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?query_src=aw_search_index&table=amphib&special=one_record&where-genus=Ommatotriton&where-species=ophryticus.
- ↑ "Pleurodeles waltl". AmphibiaWeb. 2002-05-25. http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi-bin/amphib_query?query_src=aw_search_index&table=amphib&special=one_record&where-genus=Pleurodeles&where-species=waltl.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 F. Harvey Pough; Andrews RM; Cadle JE; Crump ML; Savitsky AH; Wells KD (2004). Herpetology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. pp. 67–68. ISBN 0-13-100849-8.
- ↑ Koestler, Arthur (1971). The Case of the Midwife Toad. Random House.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ C. Michael Hogan (2008). "Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)". Globaltwitcher, ed. Nicklas Stromberg. http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=43182.
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