Body size and age structure of Pelophylax ridibundus populations from two different altitudes in Turkey

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GÜL S., ÖZDEMİR N., Uzum N., Olgun K., KUTRUP B.

AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA, vol.32, no.2, pp.287-292, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 32 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2011
  • Doi Number: 10.1163/017353711x559094
  • Journal Name: AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.287-292
  • Keywords: age, Lake Frog, Pelophylax ridibundus, skeletochronology, LIFE-HISTORY CHARACTERISTICS, KARELINII STRAUCH 1870, SOUTHERN CRESTED NEWT, GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION, RANA-TEMPORARIA, COMMON FROG, WATER FROGS, GROWTH, AMPHIBIANS, SKELETOCHRONOLOGY
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We estimated differences in body size and age structure of two populations of Pelophylax ridibundus living at different altitudes in Turkey, one from Dortyol (6 m a.s.l.) and the other from Karagol (1480 m a.s.l.). Their age structure was determined by skeletochronology performed on the LAGs (lines of arrested growth) of the phalanges. While ages ranged from 2 to 8 years for males and from 2 to 7 years for females in Karagol, in Dortyol the ages ranged from 4 to 11 years for males, and 3 to 7 years for females. Sexual size dimorphism was only found in the Dortyol population. Larger females tend to be found in hotter climates (Dortyol) but reach maturity later (3-4 years) than the highland population (2 years). A significant relationship between age and snout-vent length (SVL) was found for both sexes and populations with the exception of females in Dortyol.