Diet and histomorphological study of the gastrointestinal system of melanophryniscus klappenbachi (anura: bufonidae)

Abstract

The diet and histomorphology of the digestive tract of Melanophryniscus klappenbachi were determined by the analysis of adult and juvenile specimens collected in a private field in Bermejo department, Chaco, Argentina. The sampling was carried out monthly from March to June 2015. 29 specimens were collected, measured, sexed, and dissected for the obtainment of the digestive content and his- tological samples. The results showed a high tendency towards myrmecophagy; more than 95% of the recovered prey items were identified as ants. The histomorphology of the gastrointestinal system consisted of the main four layers of tissue observed in vertebrates: mucosa, submucosa, muscular, and serosa. This study constitutes a contribution to the knowledge of biology and the natural history of anurans of the Bufonidae family, especially the genus Melanophryniscus, which currently receives a great amount of attention regarding its con- servation status.