Anaerobiosis in a frog, <i>Rana pipiens</i>

Abstract

Abstract Rana pipiens shows an obvious reduction in hepatic, ventricular, and gastrocnemius muscle glycogen concentrations with increasing time in anoxia. Pulmonary repiratory movements drop sharply during the first three minutes of anoxia and virtually cease after 30 minutes. Iodoacetate‐poisoned frogs survive anoxia only 20 minutes; whereas, non‐poisoned animals survive anoxia in excess of two hours. The combined evidence indicates that energy derived from anaerobic processes helps manintain physiological integrity in anurans during conditions of anoxic stress.