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The Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica), one of the most cold-resistant species of amphibians

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Abstract

The Japanese tree frog, a representative of the Manchurian fauna, is characterized by an outstanding cold resistance among the anuran amphibian species studied so far. Almost 70% of the specimens from the population inhabiting the middle Amur River withstand the cooling down to–30°C; some animals, down to–35°C. This exceeds more than twofold the cold hardiness of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus LeConte, 1825), which has been considered earlier to be the most cold-resistant species. The ability of H. japonica to survive for four months in the frozen state at low temperatures makes this species independent of the temperature overwintering conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Magadan, Russia

    D. I. Berman, E. N. Meshcheryakova & N. A. Bulakhova

  2. Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia

    N. A. Bulakhova

Authors
  1. D. I. Berman
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  2. E. N. Meshcheryakova
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  3. N. A. Bulakhova
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Correspondence to D. I. Berman.

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Original Russian Text © D.I. Berman, E.N. Meshcheryakova, N.A. Bulakhova, 2016, published in Doklady Akademii Nauk, 2016, Vol. 471, No. 4, pp. 495–498.

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Berman, D.I., Meshcheryakova, E.N. & Bulakhova, N.A. The Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica), one of the most cold-resistant species of amphibians. Dokl Biol Sci 471, 276–279 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496616060065

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496616060065

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