Environmental correlates of internal coloration in frogs vary throughout space and lineages.

ABSTRACT: Internal organs of ectotherms have melanin-containing cells that confer different degrees of coloration to them. Previous experimental studies analyzed their developmental origin, role in immunity, and hormonal regulation. For example, melanin increases with ultraviolet radiation (UV) and temperature in frogs and fish. However, little is known about how environmental variables influence the amount of coloration on organs among amphibian species over a large spatial extent. Here, we tested how climatic variables (temperature, UV, and photoperiod) influence the coloration of internal organs of anurans. We recorded the level of melanin pigmentation using four categories on 12 internal organs and structures of 388 specimens from 43 species belonging to six anuran families. Then, we tested whic

SUBMITTER: Franco-Belussi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5696405 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature