Toad External Anatomy, The Skeletal System, & The Muscular System
Anura
Order frogs and toads belong in
Frog
"Rana pipiens"
smooth or slimy skin that is moist
long, strong, hind legs that aid them in leaping
big bulging eyes
Toad
"Rhinella marina"
thicker, bumpy, skin that is usually dry
shorter hind legs, more suitable for walking
more subtle eyes
2 Major Layers of Frog Skin
Epidermis & Dermis
Epidermis
layer of frog skin:
stratified epithelium
has 2 sublayers: stratum corneum & germinativum
stratum corneum
sublayer of frog epidermis:
outermost stratified layer
thin dead squamous keratinized cells
constantly removed when shed
Ecdysis
aka molting
process when frogs shed its skin
stratum germinativum
sublayer of frog epidermis:
living cuboidal to columnar stratified epithelial tissue
continuously divide to replace the shed-off layer
chromatophores
connective tissue which contains pigments
at the junction of epidermis and dermis
melanophores
black pigment containing cells found at the junction of the dermis and epidermis
Dermis
layer of frog skin:
inner layer of skin
has 2 sublayers: stratum laxum/spongiosum & compactum
stratum laxum/spongiosum
layer of frog dermis:
outer sublayer of dermis
loosely arranged connective tissue & blood vessels
cutaneous glands gives spongy appearance
cutaneous glands
posion glands & mucous glands
poison gland
gland in stratum laxum/spongiosum:
larger glands
less numerous
posses thin epithelial wall
blue arrow
mucous glands
gland in stratum laxum/spongiosum:
small
more numerous
thicker wall
red arrow
stratum compactum
layer of frog dermis:
layers of white fibrous connective tissue
dorsal
back or upper surface of an organism
ventral
stomach or lower surface of an organism
anterior
head end of an organism
posterior
tail end of an organism
bilateral symmetry
left & right halves of an organism are mirrored portions
main axis of toads
horizontal axis
3 planes of the toad body
frontal, sagittal (longitudinal), & transverse (cross)
frontal
plane dividing the body into dorsal & ventral sections
sagittal
plane dividing the body into left & right sections
transverse
plane dividing the body into anterior & posterior sections
locations relative to the center of the body
medial, lateral, proximal, proximal, & distal
medial
location near the middle
lateral
location to the sides
proximal
part of a structure that is nearer the origin
distal
part farther from the origin
regions of the body
axial & appendicular regions
axial region
region:
head & trunk
joined together by a very short neck, thereby restricting movement of the head
structural functions
head
portion in axial region:
contains snout, mouth, external nares, eyes, browspot, tympanic membrane, & paratoid gland
snout
external part of head:
blunt apex found on the tip of the head
most anterior portion of the head
mouth
external part of head:
for feeding
extending tongue
external nares
external part of head:
paired openings at the tip of the snout connected to internal nares (breathing)
arrow 1
eyes
external part of head:
dorsolateral portion of the head
used to push down food; closes when they swallow
contains: upper & lower eyelids, nictitating membrane
upper eyelid
part of eye:
thicker eyelid; does NOT move
lower eyelid
part of eye:
thinner eyelid; moves
nictitating membrane
part of eye:
thin, transparent
protects eyeballs
keeps eyes moist when underwater
arrow 2
browspot
external part of head:
circular spot between the eyes
displays where part of the skull development took place
tympanic membrane
external part of head:
Posterolateral to the eye
ovoid region of tightly drawn skin
frog’s ear / ear drum
covers auditory canal
protects inner ear from outer environment
arrow 3
paratoid gland
external part of head:
behind tympanic membrane at each side of head
large swelling
large aggregate of poison glands
secrete poisonous mucus
only found in toad
arrow 4
Croak
only male frogs can do this
to find a mate & defend their territory
Trunk
portion in axial region:
contains sacral hump & cloacal aperture
sacral hump
external part of trunk:
pelvis is elongated and higher at the spine
cloacal aperture
external part of trunk:
aka anus
most posterior part of the trunk on the dorsal side
exit cavity for excretory, urinary, reproductive system
appendicular region
region:
forelimbs & hindlimbs
function for movement
Forelimbs
portion in appendicular region:
anterior pair
short
used to raise or support the body when the frog is at rest
contains: upper & lower arm, wrist, & hand
brachium
external part of forelimbs:
upper arm
arrow 6
antebrachium
external part of forelimbs:
lower arm / forearm
arrow 5
carpus
external part of forelimbs:
wrist
manus
external part of forelimbs:
hand
4 digits + prepollux
prepollux
5th rudimentary thumb
hindlimbs
portion in appendicular region:
posterior pair
long
well adapted for jumping and swimming
contains: thigh, shank, & pes
thigh
external part of hindlimbs:
upper leg
arrow 7
crus
external part of hindlimbs:
shank / lower leg
arrow 8
pes
external part of hindlimbs:
foot
contains tarsus, metatarsus, 5 fully-webbed toes + prehallux
arrow 10
tarsus
external part of hindlimbs:
long ankle
arrow 9
metatarsus
external part of hindlimbs:
instep
prehallux
6th rudimentary toe
skin on the dorsal side
skin with warty appearance
sex-distinguishing external characteristics
skin pigmentation in jaw, thumb pads, & relative size
male frogs
sex of frog:
distinct dark pigmentation on skin on the ventral side of the jaw
generally smaller
thumb pads are enlarged or swollen
Nuptial pad
patch of textured skin on male's enlarged thumb
helps cling to female during amplexus
amplexus
mating position of frogs
false copulation
release sperm to water and not inside the female
female frogs
sex of frog:
pigments are diffused (NO distinct dark pigmentation)
relatively bigger
thumb pads of the inner fingers are NOT swollen
chloroform
liquid used as an anesthesia for the frog/toad specimen
rinsed off the dead/preserved specimen before dissection
skeletal system
organ system:
serves as support or framework for the softer parts of the body
provide a firm surface for the attachment of muscles used in movement and locomotion
supplies calcium to the blood
important site in the formation of blood cells
2 Types of Skeleton
Exoskeleton & Endoskeleton
Exoskeleton
type of skeleton:
hardened bony or horny structures that develop in the skin and provide external protection to the animal
poorly developed in frogs
2 kinds: chitinous & calcium-carbonate
chitinous exoskeleton
type of exoskeleton:
made up of chitin
arthropods, insects, arachnids, crustaceans
calcium-carbonate exoskeleton
type of exoskeleton:
hard shell
phylum mollusca: snail, bivalves (scallops)
Endoskeleton
type of skeleton:
almost entirely of bone and cartilage
skeleton of frog
Tendon
connective tissue that serves as attachment of (skeletal) muscles and bones
Aponeurosis
broad, flat, and sheet-like tendon
2 Types of Bone Structure
Compact Bone & Spongy Bone
Compact Bone
type of bone structure:
dense layer from the outside of the bone
presence of concentric osteons
osteon
functional unit of compact bone
made up of lacunae, osteocytes, haversian canal, lamellae, & canaliculi
lacunae
part of osteon:
tiny spaces in the matrix
osteocytes
part of osteon:
bone cells trapped in lacunae
haversian canal
part of osteon:
series of microscopic tubes with blood vessels and nerves
lamellae
part of osteon:
concentric rings of bone
canaliculi
part of osteon:
passageways for materials to move between cells
tiny channels between the lacunae
spongy bone
type of bone structure:
aka Cancellous Bone
Sponge-like meshwork consisting of trabeculae
spaces are continuous & occupied by yellow bone marrow & blood vessels
trabeculae
series of branching, overlapping plates of matrix in the spongy bone
spaces in spongy bone
storage/pockets to hold blood-forming cells (hemopoietic tissue) of bone marrow
function in weight reduction
yellow bone marrow
adipose tissue around the trabeculae
axial endoskeleton
endoskeleton according to position:
located at the center or axis of the body
skull, visceral skeleton, vertebral column, ribs, & sternum
appendicular endoskeleton
endoskeleton according to position:
located laterally or in the region of the extremities or appendages
pectoral girdle, pelvic girdle, forelimbs, & hindlimbs
skull
flattened dorsoventrally
wider posteriorly and narrow anteriorly
encloses the brain and sense organs
includes cranium & the visceral skeleton
cranium
aka braincase
nasal bones
bone in skull:
flat, triangular-shaped bones on the dorsal surface of the skull behind the nares
dark blue portion
sphenethmoid
bone in skull:
median, single irregularly shaped bone posterior to nasal bones
frontoparietal
bone in skull:
2 long slender flat bones, posterior to the nasal bones
may be fused so they appear as a single bone
cover most of the brain
wide at posterior end, where they join the prootics
gray portion
prootics
bone in skull:
joined by frontoparietals
enclose inner ears
dark green portion
foramen magnum
bone in skull:
large opening at the posterior end of the skull where spinal cord passes
uncolored area under the gray portion
exoccipital
bone in skull:
surrounding the posterior part of the brain
bottom gray portion
occipital condyles
bone in skull:
pair of prominent bones projecting from exoccipital
light blue portion