Testicular histology of Anurans that deposit eggs out of water

Abstract

Anuran amphibians show the largest diversity of amphibian reproductive modes, many of which imply egg deposition out of the water. This kind of egg deposition requires specialisations to avoid egg desiccation. Physiological, anatomical and ethological traits integrate to define these modes. In particular, morphological features of the urogenital system correlate with these reproductive modes and the environmental conditions where egg-laying occurs. In this study, we describe the testicular histology and spermatogenesis of the nest building frog Leptodactylus latinasus, and we compare it with other species that breed out of water. We found variations in tes tis size, the thickness of interstitial tissue, tunica albuginea, and peritubular tunics, flagellum length, and in the shape and size of the spermatozoal nucleus. Certain specifics’ characters differed at the species level, but not between families. Such variation could be an indicator of spermatozoal performance and environmental constraints under which fertilisation takes place.