DOI: 10.5061/dryad.gtht76hqv
title: A qualitative assessment of calcification across species and sexes of European Bufo toads using the micro-CT technique

description: Micro-computed tomography is a powerful tool towards the detailed
 reconstruction of internal and external morphology, in particular for
 ossified and other dense tissues. Here, we document and compare the amount
 of calcification in the skin of the head and the parotoids (the external
 skin glands) in males and females of the common and spined toads, Bufo
 bufo and B. spinosus. In some anurans including Bufo species, a specific
 acellular calcified tissue layer (the Eberth-Katschenko layer) within the
 dermis has been documented. Using micro-CT scan and standard histological
 techniques, we detected additional calcium deposits located in the dermal
 layer stratum spongiosum, above the Eberth-Katschenko layer. The data show
 that the level of calcification and the presence of the additional calcium
 deposits is size- and sex-related, increasing in the order from B. bufo
 males, B. spinosus males, B. bufo females to B. spinosus females. The
 least variable are B. spinosus females that have dense additional calcium
 deposits in parotoids, dorsal and ventral skin, as armour protecting their
 heads. Three-dimensional volume renderings and cross-sectional slices
 obtained by micro-CT scan used in this study indicate that this approach
 is a promising technique for further studies on Bufo skin anatomy and
 geographic variation in skin calcification.
description: <em>Bufo bufo</em> and <em>B.
 spinosus</em> collection material were analyzed to estimate the
 calcification level in the head skin. Information on species, sex and
 locality are provided. The dataset ID corresponds to files containing
 individual's trans-axial slices of the head region obtained with a
 high-resolution micro-CT scanner (Xradia Versa 520, Carl Zeiss X-Ray
 Microscopy Inc., Pleasanton, CA, USA, in Naturalis Biodiversity Centre,
 Leiden, The Nederlands). Museum code: ZMA.RenA, Naturalis Biodiversity
 Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. 
description: Series of tiff images can be open with the Photo Viewer.
description: # A qualitative assessment of calcification across species and sexes of
 European Bufo toads using the micro-CT technique
 | species | sex | dataset
 ID | collection  | locality | | :------------ | :----- |
 :----------------------- | :----------------- |
 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
 Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_FRAPDC\_7681B | ZMA.RenA.7681b | France, Dept.
 Pas de Calais, Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_FRAPDC\_7681C |
 ZMA.RenA.7681c | France, Dept. Pas de Calais, Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo |
 female | BB\_F\_FRAPDC\_7681F | ZMA.RenA.7681f | France, Dept. Pas de
 Calais, Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_HOLKON\_ZMA\_F1 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_a | The Netherlands, Koningshof, Overveen | | Bufo bufo |
 female | BB\_F\_HOLKON\_ZMA\_F2 | ZMA.RenA.NA\_b | The Netherlands,
 Koningshof, Overveen | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F20 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_f20 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F22 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_f22 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F23 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_f23 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F25 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_f25 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F28 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_f28 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F29 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_29
 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo |
 female | BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F31 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_31 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | female |
 BB\_F\_ENGGAD\_9291\_F34 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_34 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_FRAPDC\_7681A | ZMA.RenA.7681a | France, Dept. Pas de Calais,
 Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo | male | BB\_M\_FRAPDC\_7681D | ZMA.RenA.7681d |
 France, Dept. Pas de Calais, Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_FRAPDC\_7681E | ZMA.RenA.7681e | France, Dept. Pas de Calais,
 Ambleteuse | | Bufo bufo | male | BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M1 |
 ZMA.RenA.9291\_m1 | United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby
 pond | | Bufo bufo | male | BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M2 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m2 |
 United Kingdom, Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo |
 male | BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M3 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m3 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M4 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m4 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M5 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m5 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M6 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m6 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M7 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m7 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M8 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m8 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M9 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m9 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M10 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m10 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo bufo | male |
 BB\_M\_ENGGAD\_9291\_M11 | ZMA.RenA.9291\_m11 | United Kingdom,
 Leicestershire,  Gaddesby, Gaddesby pond | | Bufo spinosus | female |
 BS\_F\_FRARDB\_5400B | ZMA.RenA.5400b | France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales.
 Refuge des Bouilouses | | Bufo spinosus | female | BS\_F\_FRARMD\_7300 |
 ZMA.RenA.7300 | France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales. Refuge des Bouilouses |
 | Bufo spinosus | female | BS\_F\_FRASTM\_5345A | ZMA.RenA.5345a | France,
 Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales. Refuge des Bouilouses | | Bufo spinosus |
 female | BS\_F\_FRABSM\_7299 | ZMA.RenA.7299 | France, Dept.
 Pyrenees-Orientales. Refuge des Bouilouses | | Bufo spinosus | female |
 BS\_F\_FRAGAB\_5941 | ZMA.RenA.5941 | France, Dept. Drome, Gabron, S. of
 Montelimar | | Bufo spinosus | female | BS\_F\_FRAMAS\_5170A |
 ZMA.RenA.5170a | France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales. Refuge des Bouilouses
 | | Bufo spinosus | female | BS\_F\_FRAMAS\_5170C | ZMA.RenA.5170c |
 France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales, La Massane | | Bufo spinosus | female |
 BS\_F\_FRAMAS\_5170D | ZMA.RenA.5170d | France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales,
 La Massane | | Bufo spinosus | female | BS\_F\_FRARDB\_5400A |
 ZMA.RenA.5400a | France, Dept. Pyrenees-Orientales. Refuge des Bouilouses
 | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAROS\_6105 | ZMA.RenA.6105 | France,
 Dept. Finistère, Roscoff | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRASTM\_5345B |
 ZMA.RenA.5345b | France, Dept. Seine Maritime, Saint Martin de
 Boscherville  | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M1 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male1 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M2 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male2 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M3 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male3 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M4 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male4 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M5 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male5 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M6 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male6 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau | | Bufo spinosus | male | BS\_M\_FRAMAY\_ZMA\_M7 |
 ZMA.RenA.NA\_male7 | France, Dept. Mayenne, Belgeard, Foret de Bourgon,
 Carrefour du Poteau |