New insights about ovarian pigmentation in Anura

OLIVEIRA, C.; GOLDBERG, J.; FRANCO-BELUSSI, L.

HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL

BRITISH HERPETOL SOC

Lugar: Montrose, Angus, UK; Año: 2020

0268-0130

Amphibians have pigmented cells in organs beyond justskin. Their functions involve free radical neutralisation,early innate response, and a relationship withenvironmental temperature and UV light. In gonads,pigment containing-cells seem to be restricted mainlyto the testes and related to sperm production. However,we report for the first time ovarian melanisation inPseudis minuta and its ontogenetic changes in larval andpostmetamorphic stages. Melanin containing-cells on theovarian surface initially appear at early premetamorphicstages whereas in the cortex they occur later. Inconsecutive stages, melanin containing-cells were moreevident among oocytes but without a clear pattern, beinglocated randomly within the germinal epithelium or in thestroma. Although their function is unclear, a relationshipwith the fast acquisition of sexual maturity must befurther explored.