Back to Search
Start Over
Effects of Toe-Clipping on Growth, Body Condition, and Locomotion of Cane Toads ( Rhinella marina).
- Source :
-
Copeia . Jul2017, Vol. 105 Issue 2, p257-260. 4p. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Toe-clipping is a standard technique for marking reptiles and amphibians individually, but concerns have been raised about the impact of the practice on animal welfare, survival, and behavior. We used a long-term mark-recapture dataset to investigate the impact of toe removal on free-ranging adult Cane Toads ( Rhinella marina). Our analysis of 213 toads showed no impact of the number of toes removed on growth rates for mass or snout-urostyle length, nor any effect on body condition. Trials with sub-adult toads on a laboratory raceway revealed a short-term impact of toe-clipping on willingness to move (i.e., decreased immediately post-clipping), but no other significant impacts on locomotion. In summary, toe-clipping had minimal effects on Cane Toad locomotor ability, growth rate, or body condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *TOADS
*ANIMAL locomotion
*ANIMAL species
*ANURA
*ANIMAL mechanics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00458511
- Volume :
- 105
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Copeia
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 125366495
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1643/CE-16-564