A first case of bilateral hermaphroditism in a wild-caught tadpole (Scinax fuscovarius)

Abstract

True hermaphroditism, the presence of both ovarian and testicular tissues in a single individual, has been recorded in several anuran species as a result of the experimental exposure of tadpoles and juveniles to chemicals. Here, a case of hermaphroditism is reported in a wild-collected Scinax fuscovarius tadpole from an ephemeral pond near a village. The tadpole, at larval stage 41, had both a well developed ovary on the left side and an incipient testis on the right side, representing a case of bilateral mixed gonadal tissue. Both gonadal morphologies are similar to those observed in normal tadpoles at the same stage. This finding represents the first case of true hermaphroditism in a wild-caught tadpole.