La gastrulación de Epipedobates anthonyi (Anura: Dendrobatidae)

Abstract

We describe the external and internal morphology of the gastrula in the dendrobatid frog from Ecuador, Epipedobates anthonyi. Eggs have dark pigment in the animal pole, their diameter reaches 2 mm on average, and the egg clutch contains between 8 to 45 eggs. The time required from the beginning until the completion of gastrulation is of 1.5 days. The gastrula of E. anthonyi is characterized by the formation of a prominent dorsal blastopore lip in the subequatorial region of the embryo. Elongation of the archenteron is retarded until completion of gastrulation, and cells that accumulate in the blastopore lip form a conspicuous circumblastoporal collar at the end of gastrulation. The gastrula of E. anthonyi shares the morphological features observed in another dendrobatid frog, Colostethus (=Epipedobates) machalilla. This study allowed a better understanding of gastrulation in dendrobatid frogs, and provides additional knowledge about the biology of a member of the fauna of Ecuador