Abstract:
In addition to blade-like heavily keratinized upper and lower jaws, the tadpoles of nearly all species of frogs and toads possess rows of fine keratinized teeth on both the upper and lower lips. There is considerable inter-species diversity in the number, position, and length of these rows of teeth, and they are commonly utilized in the construction of keys for the identification of tadpoles.It is normally assumed that the various characteristics of these rows of labial teeth are constant within a species and that they may be relied upon for species identification.The question arises as to whether or not the development of the labial teeth and the pattern of the rows show any correlation with the type of food the tadpoles receive during their early larval life. Being epidermal, keratinized structures like claws, calluses, etc., the teeth may possibly be altered as a result of some characteristic (roughness, e.g.) of the diet of the larva. The answer to this question is the objective of this study.