Electrical pen tattooing as a means of identification for Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis

摘要

With the advent of a methodology for generating transgenic frogs the need for affordable and appropriate methods of individual identification has become essential. Products currently available on the market for identifying amphibia can be expensive and are not always appropriate for the size or the safety of the animal. Tattooing is an established method of identification for mammalian laboratory animals, such as rats and mice. However, tattooing has not been explored as a means of identifying amphibia due to the unique nature of their derma. After much modification of suggested methods and consultation with a human tattoo artist a successful technique has been developed for use in Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis.