Meeting Abstract

P1.24  Jan. 4  The Effects of Toe Clipping and Stomach Flushing on Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) and Columbia Spotted Frogs (Rana luteiventris) HATCH, K. A.; LAWRENCE, R.; PFOST , A. F.; RUSSELL, M. E.T.*; EGGETT, D.; Brigham Young University; Brigham Young Univeristy; Brigham Young Univeristy; Brigham Young Univeristy; Brigham Young Univeristy demeiter14@yahoo.com

Toe-clipping is commonly used to identify individual frogs in mark-recapture studies. Previous research demonstrates that recapture rates of terrestrial frogs and toads decrease with increasing numbers of toes clipped. However, it is not known whether these decreases are due to decreased survival rates, increased avoidance of recapture, or some other reason. Stomach flushing is commonly used to determine the diet of frogs. Likewise, there are no laboratory studies indicating the effect stomach flushing might have on the health or survival of frogs. We conducted laboratory experiments to determine the effect of toe-clipping and stomach flushing on the aquatic frogs Rana pipiens and Rana luteiventris. We found no evidence of adverse effects of toe-clipping or stomach flushing on growth or survival rates of leopard frogs. Rather, we found evidence of increased growth rates in frogs that had their stomachs flushed or had three toes clipped. We also found no evidence of adverse effects of toe-clipping, either alone or in combination with cold temperatures, on the growth or survival of spotted frogs.