Biochemical plasticity in the Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum)

The Arizona tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum, is a developmentally polymorphic species. Some individuals become sexually mature while retaining some larval traits (paedomorphs), while other individuals mature as metamorphosed salamanders. In this study, relative enzyme activities of the products of two duplicate loci in each of three enzyme systems (aconitase, malate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase) were measured in paedomorphs and in paedomorphs forced to metamorphose by treatment with thyroxine. We found that thyroxine and laboratory conditions affect enzyme activities of four of the six enzymes examined and that activities of products of duplicate loci are altered to different degrees.