Induction of spawning in Anura by the AMPHIPLEX method

TRUDEAU V.L.; SOMOZA M.G.; NATALE, G.S.

Minesota

Congreso; Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists 2011; 2011

Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists 2011

Amphibian declines and the need for captive bred frogs for toxicological studies motivated us to develop the AMPHIPLEX method for spawning induction in mature anura. The method is based on the injection of a combination of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and a dopamine antagonist. This stimulates luteinzing hormone surges in both sexes. We have named this formulation AMPHIPLEX, which is derived from the combination of the words amphibian and amplexus. The main experiments to estabish the method used Lithobates pipiens. It was used in-season, after short-term captivity and in frogs artificially hibernated under laboratory conditions. The AMPHIPLEX method was also effective in 3 Argentinian frogs, Ceratophrys ornata, Ceratophrys cranwelli and Odontophrynus americanus. Thsi requires the combined injection of des-Gly10, D-Ala6, Pro-LHRH (0.4 microrams/g body weight) and metoclopramide (10 micrograms/g BWt. MET). These results wil be reviewed, and an outline for future use and improvement of the method will be presented.