Ageing and growth of the endangered midwife toad Alytes muletensis

  1. Pinya, S. 2
  2. Pérez-Mellado, V. 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Salamanca
    info

    Universidad de Salamanca

    Salamanca, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02f40zc51

  2. 2 Universitat de les Illes Balears
    info

    Universitat de les Illes Balears

    Palma, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03e10x626

Journal:
Endangered Species Research

ISSN: 1863-5407,  1613-4796

Year of publication: 2013

Volume: 22

Issue: 3

Pages: 263-268

Type: Article

DOI: 10.3354/ESR00551 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Endangered Species Research

Abstract

A better understanding of the demography of endangered amphibians is important for the development of suitable management and recovery plans, and for building population viability models. Our work presents, for the first time, growth curves and measurements of mean longevity, growth rates and age at maturity for the Vulnerable midwife toad Alytes muletensis. Von Bertalanffy growth models were used to estimate longevity and growth rate parameters. Females had a mean (±SD) longevity of 4.70 ± 0.19 yr, significantly higher than that of males (3.24 ± 0.10 yr). The maximum estimated longevity was 18 yr for both males and females. The age distribution indicated that males reached sexual maturity at the age of 1 yr, and most females at 2 yr. There were significant differences in growth rate between sexes, with higher values in females during the first 4 yr of life, and similar values in both sexes thereafter. These life-history traits were compared with equivalent measures in the closely related amphibian genera Bombina and Discoglossus.

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