Transforming frogs and flies
Article Abstract:
Amphibian and insect metamorphosis, or the altering of larvae into adults, was the focus of a biological conference in Haslemere, England on Oct 4-7, 1992. Participants discussed what is known about the genetic and hormonal basis of metamorphosis. Research involving the fly Drosophila has shown that the hormone ecdysone initiates metamorphosis by causing the transcription of a small group of genes. Thyroid hormone is believed to have a similar function among amphibians. However, amphibians and insects probably do not share homologous gene products since their metamorphoses diverge in detail.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1993
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Pair bonding in spotted poison frogs
Article Abstract:
Amphibians were once believed to interact minimally with other amphibians. However, an observation made on spotted poison frogs, Dendrobates vanzolinii, in Brazil revealed that these animals have elaborate mating systems. A pair of frogs of the said species was observed to alternately care for its tadpole. Pair bonding is indicated by frog pairs that transport and feed their tadpole together. The frogs in the study were not observed to have decreased their strong bonding at the end of the study compared with the beginning.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1997
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The origins of insect metamorphosis
Article Abstract:
Research into the endocrine control of embryonic and postembryonic development in insects indicates that the origins of metamorphosis lie in embryonic stages. It is proposed that the three distinct life forms of basal insects - pronymph, nymph and adult - can be directly compared with the larval, pupal and adult stages of the Holometabola. From an endocrine point of view, it appears that the transition from a pronymph to a protolarva involved a heterochronic shift in embryonic juvenile hormone secretion.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1999
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