Discussions of the origin and evolution of the oral apparatus of anuran tadpoles

Because studies of the oral apparatus of anuran tadpoles seem to be mired at the descriptive stage, a discussion based mostly on developmental concepts is presented as a primer to studies of developmental genetics and evolution. An oral configuration common among many ecomorphological guilds of anuran tadpoles is used as a morphological standard without ascribing evolutionary significance. Comments on the patterns of modifications of the jaw sheaths and labial teeth and other morphological patterns are presented