Effect to age on the analysis of geographic variation in morphometric variables among populations of Boana cordobae (Anura: Hylidae)

BARAQUET, MARIANA; OTERO, MANUEL A.; GRENAT, PABLO R.; BABINI, MARÍA SELENE; MARTINO, ADOLFO L.

Revista de Biología Tropical

Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica

Año: 2018 vol. 66 p. 1401 - 1411

0034-7744

We estimated differences in body size and age structure of sixpopulations of Boana cordobae living atdifferent altitudes, 808-2310 m a.s.l. in Córdoba and San Luis provinces(Argentina). We measured morphometric variables and used skeletochronology toage determination of 79 individuals. Morphometric variables showed significantdifferences between sexes, being females larger than males, even when the effectof age was taken into account. We found a significant relationship between ageand most of the morphometric variables. When removingthe effects of age, we found significant inter-population differences in bodysize. Males from the high-elevation populations were larger than individualsfrom low-elevation populations. These results suggest that a difference in agestructure between populations is a main factor for the geographic variation inbody size of this species.