Unisexual Ambystoma produce ploidy-variable offspring that differ in survivorship to adulthood. These populations reproduce through kleptogenesis, persisting by stealing genetic material from males of compatible bisexual Ambystoma species (e.g., Jefferson's Salamander A. jeffersonianum, and the Blue-Spotted Salamander A. laterale). Kleptogenesis can result in ploidy-variable embryos within an egg mass because the female may or may not incorporate the male ambystomatid genome. Little is known about the survivorship of ploidy-variable individuals. In previous studies, triploid individuals are the most abundant class, suggesting a greater mortality in high-ploidy (tetraploid and pentaploid) individuals. We assessed the frequency of ploidy levels (determined by microsatellite analysis) across four life stages within a single year: adults, early larvae, late larvae, and metamorphs. We found that, instead of an abrupt change due to individuals dying at or during metamorphosis, there was a gradual decline in tetraploids across all stages as the larvae develop into adults.
","abstract_html":"<p>Unisexual <em>Ambystoma</em> produce ploidy-variable offspring that differ in survivorship to adulthood. These populations reproduce through kleptogenesis, persisting by stealing genetic material from males of compatible bisexual <em>Ambystoma</em> species (e.g., Jefferson's Salamander <em>A. jeffersonianum</em>, and the Blue-Spotted Salamander <em>A. laterale</em>). Kleptogenesis can result in ploidy-variable embryos within an egg mass because the female may or may not incorporate the male ambystomatid genome. Little is known about the survivorship of ploidy-variable individuals. In previous studies, triploid individuals are the most abundant class, suggesting a greater mortality in high-ploidy (tetraploid and pentaploid) individuals. We assessed the frequency of ploidy levels (determined by microsatellite analysis) across four life stages within a single year: adults, early larvae, late larvae, and metamorphs. We found that, instead of an abrupt change due to individuals dying at or during metamorphosis, there was a gradual decline in tetraploids across all stages as the larvae develop into adults.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Casto, Christina Marie"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D., Chair","Margaret Hanes, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-11-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-11-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z","subjects":["Ambystoma","Caudata","larvae","metamorphosis","survival","Kleptogenesis","Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/601","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D., Chair","Margaret Hanes, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Casto, Christina Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-07-20T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Ambystoma","Caudata","larvae","metamorphosis","survival","Kleptogenesis","Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/601"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Unisexual Ambystoma produce ploidy-variable offspring that differ in survivorship to adulthood. These populations reproduce through kleptogenesis, persisting by stealing genetic material from males of compatible bisexual Ambystoma species (e.g., Jefferson's Salamander A. jeffersonianum, and the Blue-Spotted Salamander A. laterale). Kleptogenesis can result in ploidy-variable embryos within an egg mass because the female may or may not incorporate the male ambystomatid genome. Little is known about the survivorship of ploidy-variable individuals. In previous studies, triploid individuals are the most abundant class, suggesting a greater mortality in high-ploidy (tetraploid and pentaploid) individuals. We assessed the frequency of ploidy levels (determined by microsatellite analysis) across four life stages within a single year: adults, early larvae, late larvae, and metamorphs. We found that, instead of an abrupt change due to individuals dying at or during metamorphosis, there was a gradual decline in tetraploids across all stages as the larvae develop into adults.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Survivorship of ploidy-variable unisexual ambystoma aalamanders across developmental stages"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D., Chair","Margaret Hanes, Ph.D.","Steven Francoeur, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Casto, Christina Marie"],"dc:date.available":["2015-07-20T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Unisexual Ambystoma produce ploidy-variable offspring that differ in survivorship to adulthood. These populations reproduce through kleptogenesis, persisting by stealing genetic material from males of compatible bisexual Ambystoma species (e.g., Jefferson's Salamander A. jeffersonianum, and the Blue-Spotted Salamander A. laterale). Kleptogenesis can result in ploidy-variable embryos within an egg mass because the female may or may not incorporate the male ambystomatid genome. Little is known about the survivorship of ploidy-variable individuals. In previous studies, triploid individuals are the most abundant class, suggesting a greater mortality in high-ploidy (tetraploid and pentaploid) individuals. We assessed the frequency of ploidy levels (determined by microsatellite analysis) across four life stages within a single year: adults, early larvae, late larvae, and metamorphs. We found that, instead of an abrupt change due to individuals dying at or during metamorphosis, there was a gradual decline in tetraploids across all stages as the larvae develop into adults.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/601"],"dc:subject":["Ambystoma","Caudata","larvae","metamorphosis","survival","Kleptogenesis","Biology"],"dc:title":["Survivorship of ploidy-variable unisexual ambystoma aalamanders across developmental stages"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z"}