Publications

influence of benzopyrene on the regeneration of limb blanks in midwife toad tadpoles.		1947	20256049
[regeneration and metamorphosis in a tailless batrachian alytes obstetricans].		1952	13033299
[effect of p-hydroxypropiophenone on natural and experimental metamorphosis in alytes obstetricans laur. larvae].		1952	13031198
[effect of 1-methyl-2-mercapto imidazol on natural and experimental metamorphosis of larvae of alytes obstetricans laurenti].		1954	13229018
[a method of activation of the power of regeneration in an anuran batrachian, alytes obstetricans].		1955	14364886
[polydactyly associated with polymylia in alytes obstetricans laur].		1955	13317247
[chemical method of restoration of power of regeneration in an anurous batrachian alytes obstetricans].		1956	13383864
[electron microscopy of the synapses of the visual cells in the tadpole of alytes obstetricans].		1957	13461383
[a unique case of regeneration in an anuran batrachian, alytes obstetricans].		1958	13537378
[vitamin e stimulates larval growth and hastens metamorphosis in the toad, alytes obstetricans laur].		1958	13639470
[the action of the gonadotropic hormone on the gonads of very young tadpoles of alytes obstetricans laur].		1959	13815755
[on the regeneration of the extremities in an anurous batrachnoid alytes obstetricans].		1960	14415056
[experimental research on the mechanism of hatching in the obstetrical toad (alytes obstetricans laur.)].		1960	13767414
[on the action of the gonadotropic hormone fsh on the testicle of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans laur. duration of experimental spermatogenesis].		1960	13721700
[a test with the administration of a gonadotropic hormone fsh sensitive up to 1/1000 mouse units on alytes obstetricans].		1961	13885259
[arrest of the metamorphosis of the alytes obstetricans tadpole by cold and darkness for a 2-year period. normal resumption of its development after this prolonged artificial diapause].		1962	13885260
[metamorphosis of the entire intestine of the alytes obstetricans tadpole isolated during life. mechanisms and conditions of this phenomenon].		1962	13885261
[ablation of the diencephalon prevents metamorphosis in the tadpole of the obstetrical toad, alytes obstetricans (laur)].		1962	14491429
[use of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans for determination of a gonadotropic hormone in the urine of women].		1963	14109077
[comparative regeneration of anlagen of the posterior and anterior limbs in the tadpole of the obstetrical toad, alytes obstetricans laur].		1964	14260656
[somatotropic hormone induces gigantism in the hypophysectomized tadpole of alytes obstetricans (laur.)].		1964	14191200
[effects of ablation of the pituitary complex in the tadpole of the obstetrical toad alytes obstetricans (laur.)].		1964	14143637
[electrophoretic blood examinations in 2 species of anura tadpoles: discoglossus pictus (otth.) and alytes obstetricans (laur.). comparisons between controls and animals which received cutaneous heterografts].		1964	14262530
[quantitative study of the pancreas of alytes obstetricans laur. during larval life and metamorphosis].		1964	14145462
[thyroid metabolism of hypophysectomized tadpoles of alytes obstetricians].		1967	5615523
[the immunity reactions in the tadpole alytes obstetricans. ii. characterization of immunocytes].		1967	4234181
[ultrastructural modifications in the epithelium of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans laur. i. histolytic phenomena].		1969	5371901
[the hatching gland of the obstetrical toad (alytes obstetricans (laurenti)) and of other anurans].		1969	4900402
[experimental metamorphosis, in the tadpole alytes obstetricans laur., of the skin of the tail, normally destined to degenerate].		1969	4895035
[ultrastructure of intestinal epithelium of larva in an amphibian anoura, alytes obstetricans laur].		1969	5809190
[ultrastructural modifications in the epithelium of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans laur. ii. histogenetic phenomena].		1969	5371902
	tadpoles of rana temporaria which have been raised in an artificial pond prey in the experimental situation shown in fig. 1 upon the spawn of the following sympatric european anura species: rana temporaria (cannibalism), rana esculenta, rana ridibunda, bufo bufo, bufo calamita, bombina variegata and hyla arborea (predation). - rana temporaria is an early breeder. thus selection pressure acts in the following ways: rana temporaria establishes for itself an explosive breeding pattern. species whic ...	1970	28309036
[influence of grouping on the growth and metamorphosis of the obstetrician toad: alytes obstetricans laur. demonstration of a group effect].		1970	4995210
[preliminary observations on structure and ultrastructure of the frontal organ of alytes obstetricians laur. at the beginning of metamorphosis].		1970	4992922
ontogeny of the immune response in animals having less than one million lymphocytes: the larvae of the toad alytes obstetricans.		1970	4919032
[bio-acoustic and ecological investigations in the midwife toad, alytes, o. obstetricans (laur.)].	1. alytes o. obstetricans produces calls from the beginning of april to the end of august on a gravel slope near tübingen. the annual calling activity is divided into four calling periods of different lengths. they are largely independent of weather conditions. 2. the calling activity is based on an endogenous rhythm which is influenced by two exogenous factors, air temperature and light intensity. the lower temperature threshold of calling activity is about 7° c and the upper one about 26° c. t ...	1970	28310347
[synapses of the frontal organ of alytes obstetricans laur: presence of bands of a synaptic type at the level of the junction between sensory cells of photoreceptor type and nerve endings].		1971	5002449
[peculiar aspect, in electron microscopy, of the keratinization of larval horny teeth in alytes obstetricans laurenti].		1971	4263363
[infrastructure of the eclosion glands in midwife toads (alytes obstetricans)].		1972	4347186
[study with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the immunoelectrophoresis, of the proteins of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis of alytes obstetricans laur. tadpoles].		1972	4625348
[intra-and interspecific crowding-effects in tadpoles ofbufo calamila laur.]	tadpoles ofbufo calamita, a species that spawns in little temporary pools, were tested on intra- and interspecific crowding-effects. water was conditioned by tadpoles of the following species:bufo calamita (tadpoles of different age),alytes obstetricans, bombina variegata, bufo bufo, hyla arborea, rana lessonae, r. ridibunda andr. temporaria. tadpoles ofbufo calamita are most sensitive to water conditioned by older tadpoles of the own species during the first 2-3 weeks of development. they are a ...	1972	28307074
occurrence of bombesin and alytesin in extracts of the skin of three european discoglossid frogs and pharmacological actions of bombesin on extravascular smooth muscle.	1. methanol extracts of the skin of bombina bombina and bombina variegata variegata, two european discoglossid frogs, contain an active tetradecapeptide, bombesin. alytesin, a tetradecapeptide strictly related to bombesin is present in extracts of the skin of alytes obstetricans, another european discoglossid frog. the american frog rana pipiens, contains in its skin ranatensin, an endecapeptide related to bombesin and alytesin.2. passage of crude skin extracts of bombina through a column of alu ...	1972	5048651
[crowd effect in the tadpoles of alytes obstetricans laur. variations in weight and structure of the liver (author's transl)].		1973	4748696
[somatotropin and prolactin cells in the hypophysis of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans laur. identification by immunofluorescence].		1973	4609571
[role of epithelial cells adjacent to dental columns in the dynamics of horny tooth cells in tadpoles of alytes obstetricans laurenti].		1974	4283093
[demonstration of variations in enzyme activities at the level of the liver in grouped and isolated tadpoles of alytes obstetricans laur].		1974	4153188
[testicular protein secretions of alytes obstetricans after a gonadotrope hormone injection (author's transl)].		1974	4464807
[identification by immunofluorescence of hypophyseal corticotropic and melanotropic cells in alytes obstetricans (laur) larvae].		1974	4377542
[ultrastructure of the larval pancreas of an anuran amphibian, alytes obstetricans l, in organ culture].	different techniques have been used to realise organ culture of larval pancreas of alytes obstetricans laur. some methods allow to get satisfaction results. the general aspect of the explant is described, as also the ultrastructure of the different parts of the pancreas. the results allow to consider the experimental study of the in vitro metamorphosis under the influence of thyroxine.	1975	129251
the case of the case of the midwife toad.	the facts concerning kammerer's case are reviewed. koestler's view that krammerer was unjustly accused is presented and shown to be incorrect.	1975	1093540
[the tail of the tadpole of alytes obstetricans in organ culture with or without the addition of thyroxine. ultrastructural controls].	the tail of the alytes obstetricans tadpole, isolated at different stages (end of proclimax and climax), was studied in organ culture. the addition of thyroxine at a concentration of 5.10(-7) induces an involution slower than in vivo. besides, this regression is comparatively slower in similar conditions, than in xenopus laevis. this delay could be explained by the important volume and the very developed musculature of this anuran tail. ultrastructural controls reveal the form of the muscles, th ...	1976	139991
electrophoresis, in polyacrylamide gel, of serum, liver and muscle proteins in alytes obstetricans laur. tadpoles.		1977	830481
[comparative immunocytological study of prolactin and somatotropin cells in alytes obstetricans (laur.) tadpoles raised in groups or isolated].	in the anterior pituitary of alytes obstetricans tadpoles in premetamorphic stages, two cell types were localized by cytoimmunological techniques: orangeophilic cells secreting a prolactin-like hormone in the anterior and median region and erythrosinophilic cells secreting growth hormone in a more caudal situation. both cells are more numerous and stimulated in grouped tadpoles than in isolated ones.	1977	410535
immunofluorescence of somatostatin-producing sites in the hypothalamus of the tadpole, alytes obstetricans laur.	three sites of somatostatin-synthesizing perikarya, or a related antigen, were determined by immunofluorescence in the hypothalamus of the tadpole, alytes obstetricans (amphibia, anura). two sites of neurosecretory perikarya were localized in the preoptic nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus; the axons extended either to the anterior diencephalon or to the median eminence and the pituitary. the third site was found in the posterior hypothalamus. these neurosecretory cells showed a strong immunofl ...	1978	343920
ontogenetic aspects on visual "size-constancy" phenomena in the midwife toad alytes obstetricans (laur.).	about 2 weeks after metamorphosis, midwife toads alytes obstetricans judge the size of a prey object mainly in scales of visual angle. for distant objects they show a tendency to respond to absolute object size. about 6 months later the juvenile animals are able to judge absolute prey size in relation to the stimulus distance ("size constancy" phenomenon). this ability is not necessarily based on learning or previous experience.	1979	435971
conjugated effects of thyroxine and x-rays on the intestinal wall of alytes obstetricans larvae (anuran amphibian).	the conjoined effects of thyroxine and x-rays on the intestinal wall were studied using alytes obstetricans tadpoles in premetamorphosis. thyroxine alone induces degeneration of the larval epithelium (primary epithelium) and its replacement by a secondary epithelium. the latter is derived from stem cells via the development of islets. in animals submitted to irradiation only, many of these stem cells showed signs of necrosis. in irradiated larvae treated with thyroxine, the secondary epitheliocy ...	1979	535031
configurational prey selection by bufo, alytes, bombina and hyla.	the aim of the present study is to answer the following questions; (1) is the ability of toads to distinguish between different configurational prey stimuli based on learning during ontogeny? (2) is the configurational meaning of a stimulus influenced by its distance from the animal? (3) are there differences in configurational prey selection among different anuran species? (1) experiments with postmetamorphic juveniles of alytes obstetricans indicate that preferences for worm-like objects can b ...	1979	114268
vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (vip)-like immunoreactivity in anuran intestine.	immunocytochemical and radioimmunological techniques with region specific antisera have been used to identify a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like material in the anuran intestine. seven species of anura were investigated: bombina bombina, alytes obstetricans, rana temporaria, rana esculenta, hyla arborea, hyla crepitans and bufo bufo. in five of the species (a. obstetricans, r. temporaria, h. arborea, h. crepitans and b. bufo) vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactive mucosal en ...	1981	6784927
[changes in the intestines of obstetrical toad (alyte obstetrician) larvae during spontaneous metamorphosis or metamorphosis induced by thyroxine. morphometric study and changes in the protein/dna ratio].	during spontaneous metamorphosis of alytes obstetricans tadpoles (anuran amphibia), the gut undergoes important modifications. the gut weight/total weight and gut length/body length decrease by stage xviii. they reach maximum reductions of 83 and 90%, respectively, by stage xxiii. tail regression begins only by stage xx. the intestinal protein/dna ratio peaks to a maximum by stage xix, decreases greatly by stage xx then increases slightly by stage xxii. during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis, th ...	1981	6786774
constancy of liver lipid composition in two genera of toads after a short-term temperature acclimation.	the lipid and fatty acid composition of bufo calamytes and alytes obstetricans livers has been studied. data for both species are similar, and resemble closely those published for rana sculenta. total lipids constitute 20-25% of the total liver dry weight; about one fifth of these are phospholipids; cholesterol makes up 1.7-2.2% of the total liver dry weight. the most abundant phospholipids are phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. the various lipid cases differ in their fatty acid c ...	1981	7244328
tonotopic organisation of the auditory midbrain nuclei of the midwife toad (alytes obstetricans).	the torus semicircularis (ts) of alytes obstetricans is tonotopically organized. a stereotactic system was used to obtain isointensity responses with a few-units recording method; at each recording site the dominant frequency (that eliciting maximal discharge) was noted. neurons activated by acoustic stimuli were found in the laminar, principal and magnocellular nuclei; they were rare in the commissural nucleus, and in the subependymal nucleus no stimulus-correlated responses were recorded. high ...	1983	6826471
hormonal control of the intestinal brush border enzyme activities in developing anuran amphibians. ii. effects of glucocorticoids and insulin during experimental metamorphosis.	the effects of glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone, dexamethasone) and insulin on enzymatic activities of the intestinal brush border membrane were investigated in an anuran amphibian, alytes obstetricians, before and during experimental metamorphosis produced by immersion into a thyroxine solution. during experimental metamorphosis, a new epithelium (secondary epithelium) replaces the degenerating primary epithelium. the enzymes studied were three glucidases (maltase, glucoamylase, trehalase) and a ...	1987	3104133
stage-specific polypeptides and villin expression during the intestinal epithelium substitution of the metamorphosing amphibian.	the amphibian intestinal epithelium provides an excellent aid to study the developmental pattern of protein synthesis during cell life. the metamorphosing tissue demonstrates a kaleidoscope of cell degeneration, proliferation and differentiation. these events occur at specific period in a synchronized cell population. two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, together with histological studies, has been used to examine the changes in the patterns of protein synthesis during intestinal epithelium subs ...	1987	3447919
investigations of endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas during the metamorphosis of an anuran (alytes obstetricans l.): histochemical detection of apud cells.	endocrine cells were detected at premetamorphosis, prometamorphosis, climax, and juvenile stages using an amine-inducing fluorescence technique with or without previous l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-dopa) treatment. at premetamorphosis, serotonin cells exhibited yellow fluorescence in the gut primary epithelium of the l-dopa untreated animals. in the treated animals, green fluorescent apud cells could be seen in addition to the serotonin cells. in the pancreas, numerous clusters of fluorescent ...	1988	2896140
in vitro study of the intestinal brush border enzyme activities in developing anuran amphibian: effects of thyroxine, cortisol, and insulin.	the effects of several hormones on intestinal brush border membrane enzymatic activities have been investigated in intestinal explants taken from the amphibian midwife toad at different developmental stages. explants were treated for at least 2 days with thyroxine (0.1 microgram/ml of culture medium) or for 2 days with cortisol (25 micrograms/ml) or insulin (6 mu/ml). the hydrolases examined were maltase, trehalase, glucoamylase, and alkaline phosphatase. in the explants from tadpoles in prometa ...	1988	3130458
stage-specific polypeptide and villin expression during thyroid-hormone-induced substitution of the amphibian intestinal epithelium.	treatment of anuran tadpoles with 5 nm 3,3',5-triiodo-l-thyronine (t3) results in the complete substitution of the intestinal epithelium. we have examined the developmental pattern of protein synthesis in alytes obstetricans intestinal epithelium using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. four different types of changes have been observed. the group i polypeptides (mr: 41,500; 44,500; 51,500; 55,000 and 101,000) are only synthesized during the first week of hormonal treatment. they are specific ...	1989	2777003
developmental patterns of peroxisomal enzymes in amphibian liver during spontaneous and triiodothyronine-induced metamorphosis.	1. liver catalase, d-amino acid oxidase, urate oxidase of alytes obstetricans and xenopus laevis (anuran amphibians) and fatty acyl-coa oxidase of alytes were present at all post-embryonic stages. 2. catalase and d-amino acid oxidase activities increased during spontaneous metamorphosis of the two species. 3. during triiodothyronine-induced metamorphosis of alytes larvae, catalase and d-amino acid oxidase activities increased after a latent period. 4. our results suggest that expression of some ...	1989	2776437
selective phonotaxis by males in the majorcan midwife toad.	males are expected to exhibit mating preferences when there is high variance in the quality of females or when males are limited to a small number of matings. in the majorcan midwife toad, alytes muletensis, the male performs parental care by carrying the eggs wrapped in a string around his hind legs. both sexes possess courtship vocalizations which they use to advertise receptivity. we looked for evidence of male mating preferences in a phonotaxis arena in which males were presented with two al ...	1996	8760493
male advertisement call and female preference in sympatric and allopatric midwife toads	advertisement calls and female preferences in allopatric populations of midwife toads, alytes obstetricans and a. cisternasiiwere compared with those in a sympatric population. these species have simple tonal advertisement calls which overlap substantially in frequency and duration. in both species, the duration of male advertisement calls did not differ between an allopatric and a sympatric population. playback tests suggested that females in allopatric populations preferentially approach low f ...	1997	9521791
behavioural responses of mallorcan midwife toad tadpoles to natural and unnatural snake predators	the activity levels of mallorcan midwife toad tadpoles, alytes muletensis, were compared in two natural torrent pools which differed in their use by predatory viperine snakes, natrix maura. activity levels were lower in a pool regularly used by snakes than they were in a snake-free pool, but were reduced in both pools when snakes were experimentally introduced in nylon bags. in the presence of snakes, however, activity was more suppressed in the pool that was usually snake-free. corresponding re ...	1998	9480687
too late for the midwife toad: stress, variability and hsp90.	in the 1940s and 1950s, waddington put forward his theories of canalization and genetic assimilation. these provided a genetic basis to account for the inheritance of some apparently 'acquired' characters. rutherford and lindquist have now provided a molecular framework for these theories. their results are also relevant to observations from the 1950s concerning homozygosity and variability, with a bearing on current views concerning the use of inbred strains.	1999	10322481
[variation in the specific activity of intestinal dna in alytes obstetricians larvae (amphibia, anura) treated with thyroxine].	treatment by thyroxine modified the specific activity of intestianl dna in premetamorphic alytes tadpoles. the activity decreased up to the 3rd day, and showed afterwards a peak which culminates on the 9th day. these results have been discussed in comparison with previous radioautographic observations.	1999	96966
reproductive stage and history affect the phonotactic preferences of female midwife toads, alytes muletensis.	we investigated whether the reproductive stage or reproductive history of females affects their preferences for male calls that differ in frequency. we repeatedly tested gravid female midwife toads prior to and immediately after mating, and during ovulation. when females were ovulating they were much more consistent in their choice of call than when they were gravid but not ovulating. when females had recently mated they still showed positive phonotaxis, but did not reliably discriminate between ...	2000	11032644
female reciprocal calling in the iberian midwife toad (alytes cisternasii) varies with male call rate and dominant frequency: implications for sexual selection.	male midwife toads (alytes cisternasii) responded differently depending on the call frequency and call rate of other males. i tested female iberian midwife toads with the same set of stimuli used earlier with males. females responded faster to high call rates, and female vocal activity was greater in response to low-frequency male calls. thus, in both sexes, the vocal response differs in the same direction according to signal frequency variation, but the magnitude of the response is greater in m ...	2001	11729811
the functionality of female reciprocal calls in the iberian midwife toad (alytes cisternasii): female-female acoustic competition?	female midwife toads (genus alytes) emit highly variable reciprocal calls of unclear function prior to and during courtship. in some species, female-female competition, expressed as physical fighting, has been reported. males of majorcan midwife toads (alytes muletensis) show phonotactic response to female calls, and females of iberian midwife toads (alytes cisternasii) respond differently according to the male call characteristics. in this study, i test the hypothesis of female-female acoustic ...	2002	12536281
phylogenetic relationships of discoglossid frogs (amphibia:anura:discoglossidae) based on complete mitochondrial genomes and nuclear genes.	the complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial (mt) genome was determined for three species of discoglossid frogs (amphibia:anura:discoglossidae), representing three of the four recognized genera: alytes obstetricans, bombina orientalis, and discoglossus galganoi. the organization and size of these newly determined mt genomes are similar to those previously reported for other vertebrates. phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood, bayesian inference, minimum evolution, and maximum parsimo ...	2004	15588590
[the ministry's working group on the vatican radio station and the case of the "midwife toad"].		2004	11878147
induced defences in an endangered amphibian in response to an introduced snake predator.	introduced species have contributed significantly to the extinction of endemic species on islands. they also create new selection pressures on their prey that may result in modified life history strategies. introduced viperine snakes ( natrix maura) have been implicated in the decline of the endemic midwife toad of mallorca ( alytes muletensis). a comparison of a. muletensis tadpoles in natural pools with and without snakes showed that those populations subject to snake predation possessed longe ...	2004	15338267
"protoplasm...is soft wax in our hands": paul kammerer and the art of biological transformation.	paul kammerer's career ended in scandal in 1926 over tampering with his evidence for "lamarckian" evolution--the infamous midwife toad. but although kammerer's conclusions proved false, his evidence was probably genuine. in any case his arguments were not simply for lamarckism and against darwinism, as the theories are understood today. if we look beyond the scandal, the kammerer story shows us a great deal about early 20th-century biology: the range of new ideas about heredity and variation, co ...	2005	16271762
low gene flow but high genetic diversity in the threatened mallorcan midwife toad alytes muletensis.	we investigated fine-scale genetic structuring in the rare and vulnerable mallorcan midwife toad alytes muletensis using eight polymorphic microsatellite markers. the current range of this amphibian is restricted to some 19 sites of which six are derived from reintroductions, all located in the mountain ranges of mallorca. we sampled tadpoles from 14 pools covering 10 natural sites and two reintroduction sites for microsatellite dna analyses. relatively high levels of genetic variation were foun ...	2005	16156804
nonoptimal propagation of advertisement calls of midwife toads in iberian habitats.	this study compares the efficiency of transmission of the advertisement calls of two species of midwife toads, alytes cisternasii and a. obstetricans, in both native and non-native habitats in the iberian peninsula. recorded calls of both species and pure tones were broadcast at ten sites native to either the relatively small a. cisternasii or the larger a. obstetricans. a large variation in the patterns of excess attenuation between localities was observed for calls measured at distances of 0.5 ...	2006	16521783
[some results of ablation of the telencephalon in the tadpole of alytes obstetricans (laur.)].		2006	14491428
[histogenesis of the cutaneous glands of alytes obstetricans laur].		2006	13705398
[keratization of the teeth and of the larval beak in alytes obstetricans laurent].		2007	13797972
[keratinization of the teeth and the mouth of larvae of alytes obstetricans laurenti].		2007	13797971
conflicting phylogenetic signal of nuclear vs mitochondrial dna markers in midwife toads (anura, discoglossidae, alytes): deep coalescence or ancestral hybridization?		2007	17433723
paul kammerer's midwife toads: about the reliability of experiments and our ability to make sense of them.		2009	19790195
did paul kammerer discover epigenetic inheritance? a modern look at the controversial midwife toad experiments.	the controversy surrounding the alleged lamarckian fraud of paul kammerer's midwife toad experiments has intrigued generations of biologists. a re-examination of his descriptions of hybrid crosses of treated and nontreated toads reveals parent-of-origin effects like those documented in epigenetic inheritance. modification of the extracellular matrix of the egg as described by kammerer provides a plausible cause for altered gene methylation patterns. traits such as altered egg and adult body size ...	2009	19731234
history of science. the case of the midwife toad: fraud or epigenetics?		2009	19729631
high levels of population subdivision in a morphologically conserved mediterranean toad (alytes cisternasii) result from recent, multiple refugia: evidence from mtdna, microsatellites and nuclear genealogies.	pleistocene glaciations often resulted in differentiation of taxa in southern european peninsulas, producing the high levels of endemism characteristic of these regions (e.g. the iberian peninsula). despite their small ranges, endemic species often exhibit high levels of intraspecific differentiation as a result of a complex evolutionary history dominated by successive cycles of fragmentation, expansion and subsequent admixture of populations. most evidence so far has come from the study of spec ...	2009	19912538
pathology, isolation and molecular characterisation of a ranavirus from the common midwife toad alytes obstetricans on the iberian peninsula.	we describe the pathology, isolation and characterisation of a virus responsible for an outbreak of a systemic haemorrhagic disease causing high mortality in tadpoles of the common midwife toad alytes obstetricans in the 'picos de europa' national park in northern spain. the virus, provisionally designated as the common midwife toad virus (cmtv), was isolated from homogenates of visceral tissue from diseased toad tadpoles following inoculation on epithelioma papulosum cyprini (epc) cells. molecu ...	2009	19476279
the alyteserins: two families of antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretions of the midwife toad alytes obstetricans (alytidae).	two families of structurally related c-terminally alpha-amidated antimicrobial peptides have been identified in norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of the midwife toad alytes obstetricans (alytidae). the alyteserin-1 peptides (gly-leu-lys-(asp/glu)-ile-phe-lys-ala-gly-leu-gly-ser-leu-val-lys-(gly/asn)-ile-ala-ala-his-val-ala-(asn/ser).nh(2)) show limited structural similarity to the ascaphins from the skins of frogs of the family leiopelmatidae. alyteserin-2a (ile-leu-gly-lys-leu-leu-ser-t ...	2009	19463738
outbreak of common midwife toad virus in alpine newts (mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toads (alytes obstetricans) in northern spain: a comparative pathological study of an emerging ranavirus.	this report describes the isolation and characterisation of the common midwife toad virus (cmtv) from juvenile alpine newts (mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toad (cmt) tadpoles (alytes obstetricans) in the picos de europa national park in northern spain in august 2008. a comparative pathological and immunohistochemical study was carried out using anti-cmtv polyclonal serum. in the kidneys, glomeruli had the most severe histological lesions in cmt tadpoles, while both glomeruli an ...	2010	19703784
hormonal control of the intestinal brush border enzyme activities in developing anuran amphibians. i. effects of hydrocortisone and insulin during and after spontaneous metamorphosis.	the effects of hydrocortisone and insulin on the intestinal brush border membrane enzymatic activities in an anuran amphibian, alytes obstetricans, were investigated at the end of spontaneous metamorphosis and 2 weeks after its completion. at the end of metamorphosis, the brush border is differentiating in the apical region of a developing neoformed epithelium. two weeks after the completion of metamorphosis, this epithelium is entirely formed. the animals received one hormone injection per day ...	2010	2867004
potent and rapid bactericidal action of alyteserin-1c and its [e4k] analog against multidrug-resistant strains of acinetobacter baumannii.	the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of acinetobacter baumannii (mdrab) constitutes a serious threat to public health and necessitates the discovery of new types of antimicrobial agents. alyteserin-1c (glkeifkaglgslvkgiaahvas·nh(2)) is a cationic, α-helical peptide that was first isolated from skin secretions of the midwife toad alytes obstetricans. synthetic alyteserin-1c displayed potent activity against clinical isolates of mdrab (minimum inhibitory concentration, mic=5-10 μm; minimum ...	2010	20603168
within- and among-population variation in chytridiomycosis-induced mortality in the toad alytes obstetricans.	chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease linked to local and global extinctions of amphibians. susceptibility to chytridiomycosis varies greatly between amphibian species, but little is known about between- and within-population variability. however, this kind of variability is the basis for the evolution of tolerance and resistance evolution to disease.	2010	20532196
can epigenetics solve the case of the midwife toad?--a comment on vargas.	in a recent article in this journal, a. o. vargas (2009. j exp zool b (mol dev evol) 312:667-678) suggests to interpret the controversial midwife toad experiments of the early 20th century zoologist paul kammerer in the context of epigenetic inheritance. for information on kammerer's work he resorts to a popular science book (kammerer, '24. the inheritance of acquired characteristics). however, the study of kammerer's original publications reveals that there are substantial misunderstandings in ...	2010	20922771
did paul kammerer discover epigenetic inheritance? no and why not.	in a recent article in this journal, alexander vargas presents a new, epigenetic explanation of paul kammerer's controversial midwife toad experiments, but he has constructed his model without first reading kammerer's original articles. a look at the articles shows that vargas is seriously misinformed about what kammerer did and what the results even were. his model simply cannot explain the results as they were originally reported and it cannot easily be corrected. similarly, vargas' historical ...	2010	20853422
the midwife toad and alma mahler: epigenetics or a matter of deception?		2010	20679074
ranavirus-associated mass mortality in wild amphibians, the netherlands, 2010: a first report.	in 2010, a mass die-off of over 1000 wild water frogs (pelophylax spp.) and at least 10 common newts (lissotriton vulgaris) occurred in a pond in the netherlands. haemorrhagic disease with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly was evident. microscopically, multiple organs presented cells with multifocal intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, in which ranavirus-like particles were demonstrated ultrastructurally. all specimens examined tested positive for ranavirus by pcr. the sequence obtained showed a 100% ...	2011	21955440