Oral and Buccophryngeal Morphology of the Tadpoles of Polypedates maculatus with Notes on their Diet pattern

Abstract

Abstract: Oral morphological features and the diet of the tadpoles of Polypedates maculatus were described in this study. The tadpoles were collected from various water bodies of the state of Odisha over three consecutive breeding seasons (2018–2020). Oral and internal buccal characters were analysed independently for Gosner developmental stages 25 to 46. The upper labium has four labial tooth rows with a medial gap in the three rows proximal to the mouth, whereas the lower labium has three rows with a medial gap in the row proximal to the mouth. The order of length of denticle rows is A2>P1>P2>A1>P3>A3>A4 with a dental formula of A4(3)/P3(1). The food spectrum of the tadpoles included mostly phytoplanktons (represented by six classes and 51 genera) followed by zooplankton (two classes and four genera). Three Bacillariophyceae genera (Navicula, Pinnularia, and Synedra) contributed most of the gut contents. Scenedesmus was the major food items in Chlorophyceae family and had the highest numeric frequency (7.63%) among all the food items. Other prevalent food items included Zygnematophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Rotifera, Ulvophyceae and Copepoda.