Meeting Abstract
Papua New Guinea is home to the Asterophryinae, an unusually diverse clade of frogs that vary in lifestyle, ranging from burrowers to swimmers. We conducted a morphometric and diceCT study of jumping, hopping, and swimming specialists to determine whether variation in musculature varies with performance. Using morphometrics we characterized general patterns of morphological variation and through diceCT we explored any underlying differences in musculature which might be attributed to their habits. We iodine-stained specimens from three species: A. palmipes, M. lateralis, and H. rufescens to visualize their soft tissues and analyzed the scans using 3DSlicer. We verified diceCT results via gross dissection of 13 hindlimb muscles and the Achilles tendon, specifically focusing on the extensors, flexors, and modeled forces in the hindlimbs around the hip, knee, and ankle joints. We were able to visualize muscle fibers via diceCT and obtain morphological measurements typically obtained via gross dissection, while maintaining physiological positioning and preserving the individuals. For verification, these muscles were isolated through the dissection of the individual muscles, which were then photographed and measured through ImageJ. We discuss muscle and morphological differences key for jumpers, hoppers, or swimmers.
