Date of Award
12-2025
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Academic Program
Biological Sciences BS
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Mike Davis, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Biological Sciences
Abstract
Species are constantly impacted by human activity, directly or indirectly. One critically endangered species under investigation is the dusky gopher frog (Lithobates sevosus), which is an endemic species of frog found in the southeastern United States. Historically found from Louisiana to Alabama, a drought in 2002 narrowed the dusky gopher frog range even further. Head start programs have been shown to be effective in increasing population numbers; however, there is not much published data on the effectiveness of captive rearing diets for these programs. The dusky gopher frog head start program at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Lake Thoreau Environmental Center is part of a larger collection of conservation breeding and translocation programs throughout the region. Egg masses are collected from recovery ponds, and the resultant tadpoles are raised in captivity to metamorphosis. The resulting metamorphosed frogs are released back into recovery ponds. This study examined the effects of two common diets, mealworms and crickets, on the growth of captive frogs. Over six months, frogs were fed either crickets or mealworms, and standard growth parameters were measured (weight and snout-vent length). Fulton’s Condition Index, a common parameter that accounts for isometric growth, was also calculated. Significant differences between diets were found for overall weights, weight gain, and snout-vent lengths. However, these differences were time-dependent. In general, mealworms produced faster growth in the early part of the study; however, crickets produced heavier and longer frogs by the end of the study. The results indicate the importance of selecting proper diets to meet translocation goals. These findings provide valuable data for refining the feeding protocols of captive-reared dusky gopher frogs in head start programs. Healthier and more robust head-started individuals will increase the fitness of future populations.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Nelson, McKalyn, "Analyzing the Impact of Diet on Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates sevosus) Development in Head Start Programs" (2025). Honors Theses. 1060.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/1060