Seasonal Changes In Total Body Lipid And Liver Weight In The Yosemite Toad
Morton ML. 1981. Seasonal Changes In Total Body Lipid And Liver Weight In The Yosemite Toad. Copeia. 1981(1):234-238
The Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus) lives only at high elevations (2,000-3,700 m) in the central Sierra Nevada of California. It hibernates for about eight months, breeds in late May or June soon after emergence, and enters hibernation in September. As a result of this schedule and large daily and seasonal oscillations in ambient conditions, toads are restricted to accumulating energy reserves during a relatively brief period in summer. The fractions and times at which these reserves are allocated to growth, maintenance, reproduction and hibernation enable survival at high altitude. Some details of the life history and ecology of B. canorus are known, but there are no reports on its cycles of organ weights or energy reserves. Lipid reserves have been reported for several amphibians but non of these were from high altitude.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Morton, Martin
- Units
- YOSE
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Liver, Seasonality, Weight, Yosemite Toad (Bufo canorus)