Publication Date

1966

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Bennett, Jack (Cecil Jackson)||Jollie, Malcolm

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

LCSH

Color of animals; Frogs

Abstract

Dorsal spotting characteristics of the leopard frog from four northern Illinois sites have been studied to determine if these characteristics vary with regard to soil color. One light soil (gravel pit) and one dark soil (marsh) collection site were selected from within each of two watersheds. A soil reflectance test was devised to register the relative lightness and darkness of the soils from the collection sites. Snout-vent lengths, dorsal spot numbers, and per cent of dorsal spot coverage of one section of the dorsal surface were recorded. Statistical comparisons, by population site, were made between the means for snout-vent lengths, dorsal spot numbers, and per cent dorsal spot coverage. A positive correlation between dorsal spot number and per cent dorsal spot coverage seemed to exist. The evidence indicated that neither dorsal spot number nor per cent dorsal spot coverage increases with the snout-vent length. The mean spot number for one of the dark soil collection sites was significantly lower than the means for the other three sites. No significant difference was found to exist between collection sites for per cent dorsal coverage, which ranged from 38.4% to 42.0% for the four sites. Snout-vent lengths differed significantly between certain sites. The evidence accumulated does not indicate conclusively whether or not soil color influences dorsal spotting characteristics. Other factors, primarily ecological, need to be studied.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

vii, 48 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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