A calcified pseudodontoid in the mandibular symphysis of Leptodactylus troglodytes was described from fresh, macerated, and cleared/double-stained preparations. Histology confirmed that the pseudodontoid was mineralized and composed of fibrocartilage. This structure was found in all specimens of both sexes, suggesting a role in either prey capture or defense rather than in courtship or combat. The structure in L. troglodytes differed morphologically and histologically from the pseudodontoid observed in other Leptodactylus and in other neobatrachian species. Our sampling indicates that the presence and morphology of the pseudodontoid is synapomorphic to a clade recently named Tinctanura. However, a broader sample is still necessary to strengthen this assessment.
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1 June 2007
Occurrence of a Calcified Pseudodontoid in Leptodactylus Troglodytes (Anura: Leptodactylidae)
Antonio Sebben,
Natan M. Maciel,
Leandro A. Campos,
Marcelo N. C. Kokubum,
Hélio Ricardo da Silva
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