Contrasting life-histories in two syntopic amphibians of Leptodactylus fuscus group (Heyer 1978)

MARANGONI F.; COURTIS AZUL; PIÑEIRO J. M.; INGARAMO M. R.; CAJADE R.; STANESCU F.

ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS.

ACAD BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2019

0001-3765

We used skeletochronology to compare age, size, reproductive parameters and growthpatterns of two related, syntopic anuran amphibians from Northern Argentina: Leptodactylusbufonius (n = 69) and L. latinasus (n = 56), in order to better understand their coexistence insyntopy. Previous studies showed that the two species overlap in their dietary requirementsand utilize the same habitats for feeding and breeding. We found that their life-historypatterns are significantly different, L. bufonius being larger, and having a higher reproductiveoutput and lifespan, compared to the smaller and shorter-living L. latinasus. Since none of thespecies exhibited sexual size dimorphism, and both acquired sexual maturity after the firstyear of life, we suggest that the differences in the observed life history parameters mustappear during early stages of development, during larval and/or juvenile stages.