Position of the Epicoracoids in Arciferal Pectoral Girdles of the Fire-Bellies Bombina (Amphibia: Discoglossidae)

Abstract

The fire-bellies are among anurans that have the minimal ratio of the number of specimens with the left epicoracoid in the top position to the number of specimens with the right epicoracoid in the top position (L.top/R.top). In Bombina there are no significant geographical and interspecies differences in L.top/R.top, whereas significant sex differences of this index were found in B. bombina. Observations on the tadpoles of the latter supported the idea that the order of limb eruption does not affect the mode of mutual arrangement of contralateral epicoracoids.