title: Geographical variations in adult body size and reproductive life history traits in an invasive anuran, Discoglossus pictus.
abstract: Variability in life history traits positively affects the establishment and expansive potential of invasive species. In the present study, we analysed the variation of body size in seven populations - two native and five invasive - of the painted frog (Discoglossus pictus, Anura: Discoglossidae), native to North Africa and introduced in southern France and the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Other life history traits (age at maturity, size at maturity, longevity, median age and potential reproductive lifespan) were analysed in a native and an invasive population. We observed geographic variations in adult body size, related mainly to mean annual precipitation. Thus, populations had greater body size as mean annual precipitation increased, resulting in bigger specimens in the invasive populations. Adult body size and growth rates also varied between sexes in all studied populations, with males significantly larger than females. Age distribution varied between native (1-5 years) and invasive populations (2-4 years) and also between sexes. Our results suggest that higher precipitation promotes faster growth rates and larger adult body size that could facilitate the successful establishment of invasive populations.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior d'Enginyeria Agrària, Departament de Producció Animal (Fauna Silvestre), Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain; Laboratory of Fish and Amphibian Ethology, Behavioural Biology Unit, Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, University of Liege, 22 Quai van Beneden, 4020 Liege, Belgium. Electronic address: noromi@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oromi
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eudald
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pujol-Buxó
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Olatz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: San Sebastián
authors.affiliation: Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Llorente
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Department of Agricultural Sciences, Ibn Khaldoun University, Tiaret, Algeria.
authors.forename: Mohamed Aït
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hammou
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior d'Enginyeria Agrària, Departament de Producció Animal (Fauna Silvestre), Universitat de Lleida, Av. Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Delfi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanuy
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D058865:Introduced Species; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D011898:Ranidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Age structure; Anurans; Body size; Discoglossus pictus