Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

In situ measurement of Larval Salamander growth using individuals marked with acrylic polymers

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Mark-recapture studies are often used to provide valuable life history information for animal populations. However, long-term marking of larval amphibians has been problematic because of their small size, delicate skin, and ability to regenerate tissues (Cecil and Just 1978; Donnelly et al. 1994; Seale and Boraas 1974). Procedures that have been used to mark larvae include fin-clipping (Turner 1960), whole-body staining with neutral red (Guttman and Creasey 1973; Herreid and Kinney 1966), injection of mineral oil and petroleum jelly mixtures (Seale and Boraas 1974), application of fluorescent pigments with gas pressure (Ireland 1989; Taylor and Deegan 1982) or heat brands (Ireland 1973), and application of a Congo red and dimethyl sulfoxide paste (Ireland 1989).

Citation

Johnson, Brent R.; Wallace, J. Bruce. 2002. In situ measurement of Larval Salamander growth using individuals marked with acrylic polymers. Herpetological Review, 2002, 33(1), 29-32.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/31608