Fig. 8
From: Developmental changes and novelties in ceratophryid frogs
The vertebral column and overlying dorsal shields (when present) in cleared and stained ceratophryids. a Chacophrys pierottii, adult male, b Lepidobatrachus laevis, adult male, c Ceratophrys cranwelli, adult male. d L. llanensis, metamorphic individual, e L. llanensis, metamorphic juvenile and f L. llanensis, adult male. In Chacophrys and Lepidobatrachus, dorsal shields are absent and neural spines of vertebrae II–IV are flattened. L. llanensis bears two or three medial dorsal shields that are differentiate before metamorphosis. In Ce. cranwelli, the armor is composed of medial and lateral shields covering vertebrae II–VII and their transverse processes, which develop in the postmetamorphic juvenile stage