Open AccessMorphometric differentiation and geographic variation among populations of Boana cordobae (Anura: Hylidae): effect to age
Author(s) -
Mariana Baraquet,
Manuel A. Otero,
Pablo Raúl Grenat,
María Selene Babini,
Adolfo Ludovico Martino
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
revista de biología tropical
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.305
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 2215-2075
pISSN - 0034-7744
DOI - 10.15517/rbt.v66i4.32365
Subject(s) - biology , demography , geographic variation , ecology , population , zoology , elevation (ballistics) , age structure , hylidae , age groups , geometry , mathematics , sociology
We estimated differences in body size and age structure of six populations of Boana cordobae living at different altitudes, 808-2 310 m.a.s.l. in Córdoba and San Luis provinces (Argentina). We measured 15 morphometric variables and used skeletochronology to age determination of 79 individuals. Morphometric variables showed significant differences between sexes, being females larger than males, even when the effect of age was taken into account. We found a significant relationship between age and most of the morphometric variables. When removing the effects of age, we found significant inter-population differences in body size. Males from the high-elevation populations were larger than individuals from low-elevation populations. These results suggest that a difference in age structure between populations is a main factor for the geographic variation in body size of this species.