Microsatellite marker data suggest sex-biased dispersal in the common frog Rana temporaria.
Despite being important models in ecological, evolutionary and conservation biology research, very little is known about the dispersal in anuran amphibians, and juvenile dispersal in particular. Using microsatellite data, we assessed signatures of sex-biased migration in the common frog (Rana temporaria) in Scandinavia. Significant heterozygosity deficiency (FIS) and lower assignment value (mAIc) among females suggest that dispersal in R. temporaria is female biased. Also variance of assignment (vAIc), estimated separately for the two sexes, was consistent with this inference, although the difference was not statistically significant. Possible proximate and ultimate explanations for female-biased dispersal in amphibians are discussed.
Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, PO Box 65, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
J U
JU
Palo
D
D
Lesbarrères
D S
DS
Schmeller
C R
CR
Primmer
J
J
Merilä
D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011896:Rana temporaria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden