Frogmouth Research Articles

How a Frog,Pipa pipa,Succeeds or Fails in Catching Fish

We quantified factors contributing to failed or successful prey captures by Pipa pipa, a permanently aquatic, tongueless frog widely distributed in Amazonian South America. Pipa catches fish by entraining and ingesting large volumes of water and by limiting fish escape with its fingers. Based on analysis of high-speed video (250 and 500 fps), feeding attempts appeared superficially stereotyped, but many features were modulated and slower than in other suction feeders. For both successful and unsuccessful capture attempts, the entire frog might or might not move and fingers might or might not contact the prey. Mouth opening generated initial suction but continued movement of entrained water depended on actively enlarging the volume of the anterior trunk by depressing the ventral pectoral girdle. Although captured fish varied in size and position relative to the frog, both fish size and the distance of the fish from the frog's mouth at the initiation of mouth opening were significantly greater for unsuccess...

Thermus caliditerrae sp. nov., a novel thermophilic species isolated from a geothermal area

Two thermophilic bacterial strains, designated YIM 77925(T) and YIM 77777, were isolated from two hot springs, one in the Hydrothermal Explosion (Shuirebaozhaqu) area and Frog Mouth Spring in Tengchong county, Yunnan province, south-western China. The taxonomic positions of the two isolates were investigated by a polyphasic approach. Cells of the two strains were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic and rod-shaped. They were able to grow at 50-70 °C, pH 6.0-8.0 and with a NaCl tolerance up to 0.5% (w/v). Colonies are circular, convex, non-transparent and produce yellow pigment. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences comparison clearly demonstrated that strains YIM 77925(T) and YIM 77777 represent members of the genus Thermus, and they also detected low-level similarities of 16S rRNA gene sequences (below 97%) compared with all other species in this genus. Their predominant menaquinone was MK-8. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains YIM 77925(T) and YIM 77777 were 65.6 mol% and 67.2 mol%, respectively. Based on the results of physiological and biochemical tests and phylogenetic analyses, strains YIM 77925(T) and YIM 77777 could not be classified as representing any species of the genus Thermus with a validly published name. Thus the two strains are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Thermus, for which the name Thermus caliditerrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 77925(T) ( = DSM 25901(T) = CCTCC 2012061(T)).

Nightjars of the world: potoos, frogmouths, oilbird and owlet-nightjars

Nightjars of the world: potoos, frogmouths, oilbird and owlet-nightjars

"Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird, and Owlet-nightjars of the World" by Nigel Cleere. 2010. [book review

"Nightjars, Potoos, Frogmouths, Oilbird, and Owlet-nightjars of the World" by Nigel Cleere. 2010. [book review

Actinobacterial Diversity in Hot Springs in Tengchong (China), Kamchatka (Russia), and Nevada (USA)

Actinobacterial diversity was investigated in three hot springs [Tengchong Frog Mouth (TFM) hot spring (in Tengchong, China), Kamchatka Robb Flag hot spring (in Kamchatka, Russia), and Nevada Boiling Spring (in Nevada, USA)], a Tengchong Frog Mouth hot spring-derived pond and a soil sample near the TFM hot spring. Culture-independent techniques were employed including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and actinobacterial 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis. The three hot springs and the hot spring-derived pond had pH of 6.8 to 7.9 and temperature of 50 to 81°C. Actinobacteria were for the first time found to be very diverse in hot springs with temperature up to 81°C, indicating that they have an unexpected capability of adapting to hot spring environments. A total of 346 actinobacterial clones were obtained from the three hot springs, and these clones were identified as 31 RFLP types, falling into the Actinomycetales (only limit to the Frankineae suborder), the Rubrobacterales, uncultured Candidatus Microthrix, unclassified Actinobacteria, and uncultured Candidate Division OP10. Our data have implications for a better understanding of the distribution of Actinobacteria in hot springs.

A salivary collection method for young children

Salivary assays are a major physiological measure in studies of child development. Traditional collection techniques have generally involved children chewing on sterile dental cotton rolls. However, research suggests that, for an accurate assay, potential contaminants need to be minimized, both from oral stimulants and the collection device. Moreover, the use of cotton requires that additional saliva be collected to compensate for the amount absorbed by the cotton itself. For these reasons I adapted the passive drooling collection protocol for use with young children. To this end, a game was created which involves frog puppets constructed so that a funnel, which serves as the frog's mouth, connects to a cryogenic vial housed in the frog's body. Details on the specifics of this methodology as well as the effectiveness of this approach are discussed.

Osteological evidence for paraphyly of the avian order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and allies)

The first phylogenetic analysis of osteological characters in the Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and allies) provides strong evidence that this order is paraphyletic. Well supported is monophyly of a clade comprising Caprimulgidae, Nyctibiidae, Aegothelidae and the traditional Apodiformes (swifts and hummingbirds). Within this clade Nyctibiidae (potoos) and Caprimulgidae (nightjars) on the one hand, and Aegothelidae (owlet-nightjars) and the traditional Apodiformes on the other are sister taxa. Whereas monophyly of Nyctibiidae and Caprimulgidae is in accordance with most previous studies, monophyly of the so far poorly studied Aegothelidae and the traditional Apodiformes has not been suggested by previous authors. The affinities of the Steatornithidae (oilbirds) and Podargidae (frog-mouths) cannot be conclusively resolved at present.

Notes on a Frogmouth seen near Mt. Isa

Notes on a Frogmouth seen near Mt. Isa

Demonstration of Action of Ciliated Epithelium of the Frog's Mouth

IN demonstrating the action of ciliated epithelium to students, we have in the past used the opened mouth and gullet of a frog and allowed powdered cork to be dropped on to the upper part of the mouth. In about three minutes the cork has been carried right down the aesophagus. We have just performed the experiment, using lycopodium in place of the cork, and it works very well. Advantages of the lycopodium are: (1) uniform powder ; (2) not miscible with water or mucin ; (3) colored yellow, very easily seen ; (4) very light in weight.

Frogmouths Resting on the Ground

Frogmouths Resting on the Ground

Frogmouth on the Ground

Frogmouth on the Ground

PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING CILIARY ACTIVITY IN THE RESPIRATORY TRACT: III. INDEPENDENCE OF TRACHEAL CILIA IN VIVO OF DRUG AND NEUROGENOUS STIMULI

Certain previous investigations of the responses of cilia and ciliated epithelia to chemical substances and drugs have involved bringing the cilia into direct contact with the experimental fluid being considered. This procedure is applicable when the cilia to be studied are bathed in their normal habitat by sea water, fresh water or body fluids but can hardly be indicated as an altogether desirable method for the study of ciliated epithelium of the respiratory tract. Moreover, the majority of these studies on the cilia of the respiratory tract have been made on excised tissue, which treatment may lead to error when it is sought to interpret the results in terms of functional behavior in situ. Evidence of the validity of this criticism, at least in one instance, has already been demonstrated by a comparative study made on the ciliary activity in the frog's mouth under in vivo and in vitro conditions. 1

Effects of Pitressin on Water Interchange in Normal and Decapitated Frogs

Recently it was shown that the permeability of the frog's skin is very much increased by injections of pitressin. Heller also reported that frogs, previously decapitated, showed a smaller increase in weight than normal frogs after pitressin injections. Since Adolph and others have reported pronounced increases in water uptake after pithing, it was of interest to repeat some of Heller's experiments with special reference to the effects of pitressin on decapitated frogs at various intervals of time after the decapitation. All of Heller's experiments were performed from 4 to 64 hours after decapitation. Our experiments can be separated into 2 groups— those done immediately after decapitation and from 26 to 48 hours after decapitation. A complete experiment consisted in placing 4 normal frogs (30-40 gm.) in a glass container with enough water to nearly submerge them. The temperature was kept slightly below room temperature by the occasional addition of ice cubes. After weighing each frog accurately to 0.1 gm., on a triple-beam balance in a previously weighed container, 2 were decapitated according to the technique of Heller, which consists of placing one blade of the open scissors in the frog's mouth and making a sharp cut across the head at the level of the ears. The loosened head was then held in place by 2 stitches, which assisted in preventing severe hemorrhage. Pitressin (Parke-Davis) was then injected into the dorsal lymph sac of a normal and decapitated frog (0.1 cc. per 10 gm. body weight). The remaining 2, one a normal and another decapitated frog were kept as controls in the same container. Weighings were made at half hour intervals for a period of 6 hours.

Eggs of Plumed Frogmouth

Eggs of Plumed Frogmouth

Calls of the Frogmouth

Calls of the Frogmouth

The Curious Frogmouth

The Curious Frogmouth