Biomaterial Database

Limb developmental stages of the newt Notophthalmus viridescens. 2005

Christine J Wong, and Richard A Liversage

Ramsay Wright Zoological Laboratories, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. cwong@mshri.on.ca

The current study consists of a detailed description of normal larval forelimb and hindlimb development in the newt, Notophthalmus viridescens. This is the first comprehensive record of staging limb development in this urodele amphibian species, augmenting Fankhauser's work which was published in fragments 60 years ago. Larvae were obtained by natural spawning, without hormone injections and while experimental conditions such as temperature and light cycles were kept constant (20 degrees C and 12L/12D), larval sizes have been added here merely as guidelines as development is influenced by a number of extrinsic factors. Care has been taken to indicate similarities to either the Harrison or Glucksohn stages, although this relates mainly to their morphological descriptions of the limbs. Observations from limb use are also mentioned in the text where pertinent to the description of development.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007814	Larva	Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.	Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D008675	Metamorphosis, Biological	Profound physical changes during maturation of living organisms from the immature forms to the adult forms, such as from TADPOLES to frogs; caterpillars to BUTTERFLIES.	Biological Metamorphosis,Biological Metamorphoses,Metamorphoses, Biological
D009673	Notophthalmus viridescens	A species of newt in the Salamandridae family in which the larvae transform into terrestrial eft stage and later into an aquatic adult. They occur from Canada to southern United States. Viridescens refers to the greenish color often found in this species.	Diemictylus viridescens,Newt, Red-Spotted,Triturus viridescens,Newt, Red Spotted,Newts, Red-Spotted,Red-Spotted Newt,Red-Spotted Newts
D005552	Forelimb	A front limb of a quadruped. (The Random House College Dictionary, 1980)	Forelimbs
D006614	Hindlimb	Either of two extremities of four-footed non-primate land animals. It usually consists of a FEMUR; TIBIA; and FIBULA; tarsals; METATARSALS; and TOES. (From Storer et al., General Zoology, 6th ed, p73)	Hindlimbs
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D018398	Homeodomain Proteins	Proteins encoded by homeobox genes (GENES, HOMEOBOX) that exhibit structural similarity to certain prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins. Homeodomain proteins are involved in the control of gene expression during morphogenesis and development (GENE EXPRESSION REGULATION, DEVELOPMENTAL).	Homeo Domain Protein,Homeobox Protein,Homeobox Proteins,Homeodomain Protein,Homeoprotein,Homeoproteins,Homeotic Protein,Homeo Domain Proteins,Homeotic Proteins,Domain Protein, Homeo,Protein, Homeo Domain,Protein, Homeobox,Protein, Homeodomain,Protein, Homeotic,Proteins, Homeo Domain,Proteins, Homeobox,Proteins, Homeodomain,Proteins, Homeotic
D018878	Limb Buds	Distinct regions of mesenchymal outgrowth at both flanks of an embryo during the SOMITE period. Limb buds, covered by ECTODERM, give rise to forelimb, hindlimb, and eventual functional limb structures. Limb bud cultures are used to study CELL DIFFERENTIATION; ORGANOGENESIS; and MORPHOGENESIS.	Limb Bud,Bud, Limb,Buds, Limb