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Sexual dimorphism and age of Mediterranean salamanders

  • We analysed sexual size dimorphism (SSD) for two Mediterranean species of the "true" salamander clade possessing distinct life histories (Salamandra algira and Mertensiella caucasica) and equilibrated the morphometric approach to individual age by using skeletochronology. For species that have a short breeding season and live at high altitudes, such as Mediterranean amphibians, the fecundity advantage hypothesis predicts female-biased SSD to maximise reproductive success. Our results showed no SSD in either species; however, morphometric data indicated a male-biased dimorphism in limb (arm and leg) dimensions in both species when compared to body size. Limb dimorphisms are likely related to the particular mating system, which involves an amplexus during spermatophore transfer. Arm length appeared sexually dimorphic during ontogeny both in viviparous Salamandra algira and oviparous Mertensiella caucasica. A review on SSD indicated monomorphy of body size as a common lineage-specific pattern among the "true" salamander clade, but alsoWe analysed sexual size dimorphism (SSD) for two Mediterranean species of the "true" salamander clade possessing distinct life histories (Salamandra algira and Mertensiella caucasica) and equilibrated the morphometric approach to individual age by using skeletochronology. For species that have a short breeding season and live at high altitudes, such as Mediterranean amphibians, the fecundity advantage hypothesis predicts female-biased SSD to maximise reproductive success. Our results showed no SSD in either species; however, morphometric data indicated a male-biased dimorphism in limb (arm and leg) dimensions in both species when compared to body size. Limb dimorphisms are likely related to the particular mating system, which involves an amplexus during spermatophore transfer. Arm length appeared sexually dimorphic during ontogeny both in viviparous Salamandra algira and oviparous Mertensiella caucasica. A review on SSD indicated monomorphy of body size as a common lineage-specific pattern among the "true" salamander clade, but also the common presence of other traits such as sexually dimorphic limb proportions. (C) 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author details:Sandy Reinhard, Sandra Renner, Alexander Kupfer
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2014.08.002
ISSN:0944-2006
Pubmed ID:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25497699
Title of parent work (English):Zoology
Publisher:Elsevier
Place of publishing:Jena
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Year of first publication:2015
Publication year:2015
Release date:2017/03/27
Tag:Amphibia; Life history; Salamanders; Sexual dimorphism; Skeletochronology
Volume:118
Issue:1
Number of pages:8
First page:19
Last Page:26
Funding institution:Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena Graduate Academy; German Herpetological Society (DGHT)
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Peer review:Referiert
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