Desenvolvimento do esqueleto de Boana albomarginata (Spix, 1824) (Anura:Hylidae) no estado do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

TIn recent years, tadpoles have been utilized as significant sources of information regarding the anatomy, morphology, ecology, and phylogeny of anurans. Within this context, the osteology of the larvae has been increasingly explored. Thus, the present study describes the skeleton of the Boana albomarginata tadpole, that is an Hylid endemic to the Atlantic Forest, as well as its sequence of ossification, using the double staining methodology. In summary, they present a chondrocranium that is longer than it is wide, which differs from the observed for the adult. The cornua trabeculae are Vshaped, and the subocular bar is thin and enlarged. The exoccipital appears to be the first cranial bone to emerge. The cranial and post-cranial patterns are described. The sequence of cranial ossification is explained by the functional changes occurring during metamorphosis. The data obtained were compared with species from the same family, showing some similarities, but also much differences.