EMBRYONIC SURFACE CILIATED CELLS IN ELEUTHERODACTYLUS URICHI (ANURA: LEPTODACTYLIDAE)

While our knowledge of anuran embryonic and larval surface ciliation and their diversity of ciliation patterns are significant, very few references were noticed on embryonic ciliation in direct-developing anurans, such as species in the genus Eleutherodactylus. Eleutherodactylus urichi embryos were found to have surface ciliated cells during much of their development until a few days before hatching. Ciliation was most prominent on the pharyngeal region and on the tail fins, both regions believed to have a respiratory role, and supporting the hypothesis that embryonic ciliation in amphibians serves principally to aid respiration by moving intracapsular fluid. The limb-buds were also well ciliated, an evolutionary novelty since in most anurans with a tadpole stage, surface ciliation regresses before limbs show significant development.