Treasure of the month

October 2017

Common toad in CT scan

October's Treasure of the Month is a common toad (Bufo bufo) found in Denmark in 1968. These brown-grey, warty animals are widespread in Europe, among other places. There are several hundred individuals of this amphibian species in the CeNak's herpetological collection (amphibians and reptiles), including adults as well as juveniles, tadpoles and spawn.

On our Treasure of the Month, the skeleton and musculature of the shoulder girdle are currently being studied. For this purpose, computed tomographic (CT) scans were taken of the common toad in an FF35 CT in cooperation with the Hamburg-based company YXLON International GmbH. The CT scans show the shape and position of the skeletal elements and - through contrast staining with iodine - also the soft tissues such as muscles and internal organs. Comparison of the shoulder girdle anatomy of different frog species then allows conclusions to be drawn about the evolution and function of the individual girdle elements.

The herpetological collection of the LIB is the fifth largest collection of reptiles in Germany. In total, the collection houses about 65,000 specimens (about 30 % amphibians), mainly as alcohol preparations, but also several hundred dry preparations (skeletons, carapaces, reptile skins).

Herpetology

Photo: Skeleton and shoulder girdle muscles of a common toad, visualization based on a CT scan (CeNak / Karolin Engelkes).