Anaerobic metabolism during activity in amphibians

Abstract

Abstract-1.Total lactate production (anaerobic energetic generation) during maximal activity was measured in eight species of amphibians.2. Slow-moving animals, exemplified by Bufo boreas, produce small amounts of lactate and do not exhaust. In contrast, fast-moving, saltatory forms, such as Rana pipiens and Batrachoseps attenuatzls, have high levels of lactate generation and are unable to sustain maximal activity.3. Aquatic species rely on air gulping during activity and show little anaerobiosis.4. The temperature dependence of anaerobic energy generation is high (Q,, = 1.5-3-9) for all species.5. Levels of amphibian lactate production are lower than those of lizards and show greater interspecific variation.6. The rate of lactate production is directly correlated with predator avoidance. Noxious-tasting or aggressive amphibians have low anaerobic scopes; others rely on anaerobiosis for energy for rapid flight. Rapid activity in amphibians appears possible only at the expense of extensive anaerobiosis.

Allometry and Jumping in Frogs: Helping the Twain to Meet

“…The maximum distance was chosen rather than mean distance jumped because other studies have shown differential exhaustion rates among frogs (Rand, 1952;Bennett and Licht, 1974). If the mean of a large number of consecutive jumps is used (as in Wermel, 1934) frog species with rapid exhaustion rates may have an artificially lowered jumping ability compared to species with lower rates of fatigue.…”

“…No comparisons of energy expenditure between different sized individuals of the same species are available, but data from physio-logical work comparing species of different sizes suggest that this indeed may be the case. In lactate production studies on amphibians, Bennett and Licht (1974) found that exhaustion rates differed between two species of good jumpers, Rana pipiens (body weight 39.7 g) and Hyla regilla (body weight 2.6 g). After 10 min of activity, Hyla regilla was still capable of slow, uncoordinated jumps, while Rana pipiens was unable to sustain any degree of activity.…”

Asymmetrical turning during spermatophore transfer in the male smooth newt

“…However, insertion of a 5-min break between depositions had no influence on subsequent turning orientation, and thus the reduction in bias over depositions appears not to be connected with short-term fatigue. However, it is conceivable that the accumulation of lactate during courtship requires longer than 5 min for recovery (see Bennett & Licht 1974;Green 1991b). Alternatively, the reduction in lateralized turning over depositions may be linked to the general reduction in motivation for courtship observed as males deposit more spermatophores (Halliday 1976).…”

Aspects of anuran metabolism : effects of chronic hypoxia on maximal oxygen uptake rates and the fate of lactic acid

“…Anaerobic metabolism is, therefore, very important in burst activity such as escape from predation (Bennett and Licht, 1974). Anaerobic metabolism is less dependent on temperature than aerobic metabolism (Bennett, 1978;Carey, 1979a;Hochachka, 1980;Putnam and Bennett, 1981 (Bennett and Licht, 1974;Hutchison and Turney, 1975;Hillman, 1976;Hutchison and Miller, 1979a;Putnam, 1979a (Bennett and Licht, 1974;Hillman, 1976;Carey, 1979b;Putnam, 1979a).…”

“…It has been hypothesized that this apparent dichotomy in metabolic "strategies" is associated with predator avoidance mechanisms (Bennett and Licht, 1974). The more-anaerobic anurans depend on rapid, usually saltatory, movements to escape from predators, whereas the more-aerobic species use static defense mechanisms such as lung inflation or skin poisons.…”