Cenogeneses: Ecology and Evolution (Using the Example of Amphibian Larvae)

Known anomalies of amphibian larvae are analyzed based on literature data and our own materials. The variability in the spectrum and frequency of anomalies of moor frog larvae are considered in an urbanization gradient. It is shown that the occurrence of deviant forms of larvae is significantly higher in high-rise areas, and their greatest diversity is recorded in the residential part of the city. A decrease in the equifinality of ontogeny contributes to an increase in the diversity and occurrence of cenogenetic and other larval anomalies. An increase in the proportion of morphological anomalies during destabilization of habitats reduces the fitness of larvae and poses a serious threat to the reproduction and continued existence of such populations. The issue of deviant forms of larval adaptations of amphibians is discussed as a possible source of information about potential evolutionary innovations of morphogenesis. The larvae of dominant amphibian species can be used as indicators of environmental health.