title: Variation of thermal parameters in two different color morphs of a diurnal poison toad, Melanophryniscus rubriventris (Anura: Bufonidae).
abstract: We study the variation in thermal parameters in two contrasting populations Yungas Redbelly Toads (Melanophryniscus rubriventris) with different discrete color phenotypes comparing field body temperatures, critical thermal maximum and heating rates. We found significant differences in field body temperatures of the different morphs. Temperatures were higher in toads with a high extent of dorsal melanization. No variation was registered in operative temperatures between the study locations at the moment of capture and processing. Critical thermal maximum of toads was positively related with the extent of dorsal melanization. Furthermore, we founded significant differences in heating rates between morphs, where individuals with a high extent of dorsal melanization showed greater heating rates than toads with lower dorsal melanization. The color pattern-thermal parameter relationship observed may influence the activity patterns and body size of individuals. Body temperature is a modulator of physiological and behavioral functions in amphibians, influencing daily and seasonal activity, locomotor performance, digestion rate and growth rate. It is possible that some growth constraints may arise due to the relationship of color pattern-metabolism allowing different morphs to attain similar sizes at different locations instead of body-size clines.
authors.affiliation: CONICET, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Filosofía Humanidades y Artes, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Avenida José Ignacio de la Roza 230 (O), 5400 San Juan, Argentina. Electronic address: sanabria.eduardoa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sanabria
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy (CIT-JUJUY) CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Av. Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina; San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentinae Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina. Electronic address: marcos.vaira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, San Juan, Argentina. Electronic address: quirogalb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lorena B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Quiroga
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy (CIT-JUJUY) CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Av. Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina; San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentinae Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina. Electronic address: mauriakme@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mauricio S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Akmentins
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy (CIT-JUJUY) CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Av. Bolivia 1711 (4600), Jujuy, Argentina; San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentinae Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina. Electronic address: laureech@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pereyra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002025:Bufonidae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D058974:Phylogeography; D012880:Skin Pigmentation
keywords: Coloration; Critical thermal maximum; Field body temperature; Heating rate; Melanization; Melanophryniscus rubriventris