- Title
- Tagging tadpoles: retention rates and impacts of visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags from the larval to adult amphibian stages
- Creator
- Bainbridge, Loren; Stockwell, Michelle; Valdez, Jose; Klop-Toker, Kaya; Clulow, Simon; Clulow, John; Mahony, Michael
- Relation
- Herpetological Journal Vol. 25, Issue 3, p. 133-140
- Publisher
- British Herpetological Society
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2015
- Description
- Population demographics for amphibian larvae are rarely estimated due to marking technique limitations on small body size, morphological change (metamorphosis), and the associated habitat changes (aquatic to terrestrial environments). A technique that may meet some of these limitations is visible implant elastomer (VIE) tagging. In this study, we report on the efficacy of VIE tagging a tree frog (Hylidae) at the tadpole stage for cohort identification across metamorphosis to the adult stage, in a field environment. During our preliminary captive trial, post-metamorphosis tag retention was 100% over three months, with no adverse effects observed on survival, growth or time to metamorphosis. During our field study tag retention in recaptured Litoria aurea was 95% for tadpoles and 88% across metamorphosis. By 200 days post-tagging, retention declined to 75% in the adult stage and stabilised around 50% by 300 days. Post metamorphosis the retention rate was less reliable and dependent upon sex and life-stage. Females showed the highest retention rate (max. 62%, 760 days post tagging), followed by juveniles (max. 45%, 400 days post tagging) and males (max. 20%, 760 days post tagging). We conclude that VIE tagging is a viable method for studying cohort larval movements and population demographics of amphibians up to a 50 day post-metamorphosis stage.
- Subject
- Litoria aurea; metamorphosis; tadpole; tag retention; VIE tagging
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1334245
- Identifier
- uon:27266
- Identifier
- ISSN:0268-0130
- Language
- eng
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