Thermal selection in tadpoles of the tailed-frog, Ascaphus truei
De Vlaming VL and Bury RB. 1970. Thermal selection in tadpoles of the tailed-frog, Ascaphus truei. Journal of Herpetology. 4(3-4):179-189
This article is about the tailed frog, Ascaphus truei, of northwestern California, including Redwood National Park. The population studied here inhabits French Hill Creek in Del Norte County, close to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (included within the national park). Following brief field observations at a site near the creek's opening into the Smith River, the author studied individuals in the laboratory to determine whether or not tadpoles of the tailed frog regulate their temperatures through behavior (movement among habitat areas with different temperatures). The study found that the tadpoles clearly avoided temperatures above 22 degrees Centigrade, and preferences below that depended on age. Includes table of temperature selections and graphs of distribution in thermal gradients.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- De Vlaming, Victor; Bury, R
- Units
- REDW
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Body Temperature, French Hill Creek Del Norte County CA, Metabolism, Movement (Animal), Tailed frog (Ascaphus truei)