Meeting Abstract
Amphibians are extremely sensitive to environmental conditions and populations are experiencing widespread and rapid declines in recent years. Numerous studies suggest that chemical contaminants and disease present immediate threats to amphibian populations worldwide. In addition to directly killing amphibians, contamination of aquatic environments with chemicals has been linked to sublethal disruptions of the endocrine and immune systems. This study examined the impact of chronic exposure to a neonicotinoid pesticide on amphibian development and secondary sex characteristics. Neonicotinoids are widely used to kill insect pests by mimicking nicotine and disrupting function of the nervous system. Xenopus laevis were chronically exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the neonicotinoid, imidacloprid. Following sexual maturity photographs were obtained of the forelimb area containing the nuptial pad. The nuptial pad contains keratinized hooks and breeding glands sensitive to androgens. Methodology is currently being developed to evaluate intensity and size of nuptial pads following treatment. Imidacloprid has been indicated to impact male reproduction in other species, therefore valuable data may be obtained to aid in understanding the impact of imidacloprid on amphibian reproduction.
