Postembryonic skeletogenesis in anuran amphibians has been widely studied, yet less than one percent of the extant diversity has been covered and relatively few comparative studies exist. Here we document the sequence and timing of ossification of the Common Toad Rhinella arenarum, a large true toad (Bufonidae) from South America that is a model organism for varied ongoing research. We study histological sections and cleared-and-stained specimens of an ontogenetic series ranging from early larval stages to juveniles, documenting the ossification sequence of the entire skeleton. To diminish potential environmental biases we also study the skeletogenesis of the frog Leptodactylus latinasus (Leptodactylidae) from the same pond and season. We summarize comparative data from numerous anuran species to contextualize our results in a broad phylogenetic context. Histological data shows that skeletal calcification in R. arenarum is temporally dissociated from osteoid matrix formation and occurs later than in most other anurans, which is unexpected given its generalized pond-type larva and heavily ossified adult skeleton. At the onset of metamorphosis, exoccipitals, parasphenoid, and frontoparietals are the only ossified skull elements, whereas most of the postcranium has already started ossification. This pattern is rare among anurans but is shared by other bufonids, in which it has been previously linked to rapid development. Our comparative survey, however, suggests that the delayed bufonid pattern is not related to fast-developing larvae but instead might be a distinctive feature of true toads.

The most remarkable feature of the Central Andes is the Altiplano–Puna plateau. This plateau is characterized by 3.5 km average elevation, approximately 70 km crustal thickness and very high heat flow. The upper mantle structure changes along strike below the plateau. The upper mantle below the Puna becomes hotter, and the lithosphere becomes thinner and weaker. These features suggest that thermal isostasy could play a role in the compensation of the Altiplano–Puna. Thermal isostasy is the geodynamic process whereby regional variations in the lithospheric thermal regime cause changes in elevation. Elevation changes result from variations in rock density in response to thermal expansion. The aim of this study is to estimate the thermal and geodynamic contributions to the elevation. While the thermal component of the Altiplano elevation would be of 1 km, the thermal contribution to the southern Puna elevation would be of 1.5 km. However, in the case of the southern Puna a portion of the actual topography (~20%) cannot be explained considering only compositional and thermal effects, suggesting additional geodynamical support. The obtained results suggest that the thermal state of the lithosphere would play a significant role in the elevation of the Central Andes, and may be responsible of some of the geological differences displayed by the Altiplano and the Puna.