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Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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Reliability of toe pad size for sexing D. tinctorius?
#1
I will admit I'm still new at this, but I find the use of toe pad size alone to be unreliable when sexing tinctorius. It seems like a lot of froggers go to the pads first when sexing frogs, while I hesitate to draw any conclusions based on toe pads alone. Here's a set of examples:
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Here is the male:
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Not a significant difference in toe pad shape in my opinion. But if you look at the other indicators the sexes are more obvious. The classic back arch of the female, her larger size, and gravid torso:
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Of course, witnessing calling helps:
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So in your opinion, how reliable is toe pad size?
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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#2
I like you look at the arching backs, more indicative IMO of Tinc Sex.
Maybe Glenn will chime in.
-Beth
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#3
I don't think it's very reliable. You can be easily be fooled by toe pads. I have some females with huge toe pads and males with small toe pads. Body shape and size are a better indicator of what sex they are.

Eggs and calling helps too! :wink:
Glenn
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#4
Thanks Glenn! Yes I was cautioning on the use of toe pads as a primary means of identification and shared my pictures. An opinion based on toe pads came back - two males! :lol: 30 froglets and 50 tads that would suggest one was a female. It did illustrate my point that toe pad identifications are not reliable. But I'm still new so figured I'd ask Smile Thanks for weighing in!

It would be great if others have pictures of their sexed pairs that they can add to build up a reference library of sorts.
Jim from Austin | https://www.oneillscrossing.com/dart-frogs/
fantastica nominant | summersi | reticulata | A barbotini
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#5
I'd place body habitus ahead of toe pads, for a higher percentage of sex determination.

Both are really only effective when the frogs are more mature and at maximum size. Sexual maturity may come about at 4 -6 months, but some species are very small at that age, and it confounds things.
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#6
[Image: 005enm.jpg]

Guess which one is male?? Big Grin

In this case toe pads ID works. I have seen my female Alanis carry though...

I'll try and get some pics up in the next while.
Glenn
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