Exogenous hormones induce poor rates of oviposition in the anurans, Litoria moorei and L. aurea

Abstract

Combinations of commercially available hormones (luteinising hormone-realeasing hormone agonist, human chorionic gonadotrophin and progesterone) were given intra-coelomically to gravid females of two Australian bell frogs, Litoria moorei and L. aurea. The injections were not sufficient to cause normal ovulation and egg laying in the absence of males. Further studies are still required to develop a safe method of programming ovulation and oviposition in these and other recalcitrant species to obtain eggs that have not been exposed to sperm.