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Ocular lens morphology is influenced by ecology and metamorphosis in frogs and toads Project ID: 000448159 Public
42 Media · 42 Specimens · Managed by: Jeffrey Streicher

The shape and relative size of an ocular lens affects the focal length of the eye, with consequences for visual acuity and sensitivity. Lenses are typically spherical in aquatic animals with camera-type eyes and axially flattened in terrestrial species to facilitate vision in optical media with different refractive indices. Frogs and toads (Amphibia: Anura) are ecologically diverse, with many species shifting from aquatic to terrestrial ecologies during metamorphosis. We quantified lens shape and relative size using 177 microCT scans of 122 biphasic anuran species and tested for correlations with life stage, adult environment and habits, and adult activity period. Across broad phylogenetic diversity, tadpole lenses are more spherical than those of adults. Biphasic species with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults typically undergo ontogenetic changes in lens shape, whereas species that remain aquatic as adults tend to retain more spherical lenses after metamorphosis. Further, adult lens shape is influenced by adult habit; notably, fossorial adults tend to retain spherical lenses following metamorphosis. Finally, lens size relative to eye size is smaller in aquatic and semiaquatic species than other adult ecologies. Our study demonstrates how ecology shapes visual systems, and the power of non-invasive imaging of museum specimens for studying sensory evolution.

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  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000451887 CUMV:Herps:A-0014989 Hyperolius ocellatus Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-25 Restricted Download  
000451547 nhmuk:ls amphibians:1969.68 Hemisus marmoratus Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451544 nhmuk:ls amphibians:2021.7543 Aubria subsigillata Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451541 nhmuk:ls amphibians:1958.1.4.24-48 Nyctibatrachus humayuni Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451538 nhmuk:ls amphibians:2021.3033 Rana temporaria Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451535 nhmuk:ls amphibians:1958.1.4.27 Nyctibatrachus humayuni Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451532 nhmuk:ls amphibians:2021.7542 Phyllomedusa vaillantii Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451528 nhmuk:ls amphibians:1975.47 Duttaphrynus melanostictus Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-23 Restricted Download  
000451394 nhmuk:ls amphibians:1947.1.2.58 Pipa carvalhoi Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-22 Restricted Download  
000450686 NHMUK:ZOO:2021.3051-3052 Bufo bufo Volumetric Image Series 2022-07-19 Restricted Download  
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