Seasonal activity and the body size-fecundity relationship in a population of <i>Physalaemus gracilis</i> (Boulenger, 1883) (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Uruguay
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Date
2005
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Abstract
Two key life history attributes are temporal reproductive patterns and inter- and intraspecific variation in clutch size. In this work, we collected individuals of Physalaemus gracilis in Espinas stream (Maldonado, Uruguay) to analyze the correlation of activity with environmental variables and to evaluate the influence of reproductive investment on the body size-fecundity (BSF) relationship. In contrast to previous reports, the reproductive activity peaked in spring and was not correlated with temperature or rainfall in either sex. Regression analysis showed that the BSF relationship varied with size, and that larger females had a steeper slope than smaller females. Reproductive investment data indicate that smaller females invested less energy in their offspring than larger females, which is probably due to the imposed cost of continued growth.