Physiology of Rana pipiens Reproductive Behavior: A Proposed Mechanism for Inhibition of the Release Call

SYNOPSIS. Non-gravid femaleRana pipiens clasped by sexuallyactive males emit a release call and thereby signal their unreceptivestatus to the clasping male. The receptive condition of gravidfemales is indicated by absence, or inhibition, of the call.This paper provides evidence that arginine-8 vasotocin (AVT)can inhibit the release call by causing water uptake when afemale is in an aquatic environment, and suggests that watermight exert this effect by means of a mechanical distensionof the body wall or internal pressure. This paper also includesevidence that the ovaries are not necessary for AVT's inhibitionof the call. The literature dealing with the physiological basisof female frog reproductive behavior and the physiological basisof the release call are reviewed.