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Age structure and growth in a population of Pelobates varaldii (Anura, Pelobatidae) from northwestern Morocco

In: Amphibia-Reptilia
Authors:
Fabio Maria Guarino Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia, I-80126 Napoli, Italy;, Email: fabio.guarino@unina.it

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Philip de Pous School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK, Society for the Preservation of Herpetological Diversity, Oude Molstraat 2E, 2513 BB, Den Haag, The Netherlands

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Angelica Crottini CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, R. Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal

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Marcello Mezzasalma Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia, I-80126 Napoli, Italy

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Franco Andreone Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Via G. Giolitti, 36, I-10123 Torino, Italy

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Online Publication Date:
01 Jan 2011
Full Access

Abstract

Age structure and growth in the Moroccan spadefoot toad, Pelobates varaldii were estimated by skeletochronology and reported for the first time for a population living in NW Morocco. Snout vent length and body mass did not significantly differ between the sexes, although females appeared larger and heavier than males. Age ranged 2-7 years in males (mean age±SD: 4.5±1.2, n = 66) and 2-10 years in females (4.7±2.4, n = 20). The difference in age was not significant between the sexes. The modal age was 5 years for males and 3 years for females. The age distributions significantly differed between the sexes. Von Bertalanffy growth curves showed a similar profile between the sexes although growth coefficient was higher in males than in females. Longevity and growth rates of P. varaldii were compared with those of other species of the genus Pelobates.

Title:
Age structure and growth in a population of Pelobates varaldii (Anura, Pelobatidae) from northwestern Morocco
Article Type:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/017353711X605678
Language:
English
Pages:
550–556
Keywords:
MOROCCAN SPADEFOOT TOAD; SKELETOCHRONOLOGY; AMPHIBIA; DEMOGRAPHIC TRAITS; LONGEVITY
In:
Amphibia-Reptilia
In:
Volume 32: Issue 4
Publisher:
Brill
E-ISSN:
1568-5381
Print ISSN:
0173-5373
Subjects:
Biology & Environmental Sciences, Biology

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