Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Locomotor Performance in an Aquatic Frog, Xenopus laevis: Jumping Patterns on Varied Surfaces and Their Role in Habitat Transition

Publication Date

Spring 2024

College

Sciences and Mathematics, College of

Department

Biology, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Chase Kinsey

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Abstract

Xenopus laevis, though primarily aquatic, must occasionally move across land to find new habitats or resources. The ability to successfully navigate terrestrial habitat is essential, especially when environmental conditions like drought, scarce food supplies, or dense populations compel them to relocate. Jumping is considered a conserved locomotor behavior across all anuran species, though the efficacy of jumping as a form of locomotion across aquatic species is poorly understood. This study examines jumping performance in the African Clawed Frog, X. laevis, to explore how jumping ability persists in these aquatic frogs, particularly across the land water interface where frogs might be the most vulnerable to predation. We hypothesized that jumping behavior is conserved in Xenopus laevis with little change in jump performance across flat and inclined surfaces. Seventeen Xenopus laevis frogs were coaxed to jump from a 30 degree (inclined) and 0 degree (flat) platform and filmed with high-speed cameras. Videos were analyzed in Matlab using a custom script to calculate velocity. Findings suggest no significant difference between jump velocity and surface (flat or inclined), suggesting jumping behavior is modulated to potentially maximize locomotor performance across varied habitat types.This data provides insight into how the invasive frog, X. laevis, is successfully spreading across the Europe and much of the United States.

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